It's Never Over
by Misfit Soul
Summary: Bang, MerDer will never be over.  This is the story of how Burke and Cristina get back together  told from the alternating perspectives of Meredith and Derek.  Disclaimer: I own nothing.  4 chapters posted per day. Updated July 13. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This story alternates from Derek's perspective to Meredith's with each chapter. I am ignoring the IW situation. I actually started writing this prior to the news. Anyways I hope you enjoy this fic, and constructive criticism is appreciated. _  
**

**One**

Meredith had left him at the chapel. There were no goodbyes, no kisses or hugs. She just walked away as if he did not even exist. He should have expected the choice, knowing that her friends came first always. She never picked him. Derek bet that she would not even come home. It was pointless, then, to return to her house, but at the same time he did not want to take the ferry boat back to the trailer.

Even ferryboats did nothing for him today.

As he walked by the nurses' station, he realized the gossip mills were already running. Apparently, everybody knew that Preston had left Yang at the altar. Of course, it was not actually at the altar, but people certainly enjoyed embellishment. He knew that from personal experience, Derek thought with a bitter grimace.

He had already checked on his post-op patients. Nothing left to do, but get some sleep. In the morning, he would find Meredith and he would get his answer. He needed her to give him the word whether or not their relationship would survive. Breathing was her problem and he could not help her with it anymore.

The on-call room was dark and Derek immediately stubbed his toe on some foreign object. "Dammit!"

He flicked on the lights to find Preston seated on the bottom bunk, holding a trumpet in his hands. The man looked at him, seeming dazed and uncertain. There was a bag next to him overflowing with CDs. Derek could see the corner of a frame peeking out of it. On his other side, there was a gym bag.

"Why aren't you at home?"

"I…I…I'm leaving her the apartment. I just needed to grab some of my stuff." His voice was filled with pain.

Surprised, Derek sat on the chair across from the bunks. He had assumed they just decided to put it off, that Burke had not really left her. They were sure and steady, everything that he and Meredith were not. So what if they did not get married right away? Couples like Preston and Yang had that innate sense of who they were to each other.

At least that was what he had believed.

He tried to be comforting. "You should go home. I'm sure she'll talk to you." Besides, the sooner Preston was home, the sooner he would receive an answer from Meredith.

Preston let out a wry laugh. "Cristina, talking?"

"Okay, she may be a little bit angry about you leaving her there. Remember when I told you that women didn't like to wait at the altar? I don't think they are a fan of being left there either." He grinned.

"She needs time." He paused. "I've never given her that."

"Well, when you are ready. I recommend elevators. They're fantastic for romance, like ferry boats."

"Elevators?"

"Elevators."


	2. Chapter 2

**Two **

Cristina had cried until she fell asleep. It started with those heartbreaking sobs, eventually degenerating into a tear just every once in a while. Meredith held her and cried with her. She was crying for the end of both their relationships. Neither of them were getting the happy ending at least not the part that included the knight in shining whatever.

The world kind of sucked that way.

Actually the world really sucked, but it was almost morning and Cristina? Not so happy in the mornings. Combined with Burke leaving her, her general morning mood would probably scare Navy Seals. Meredith carefully extricated herself from the blanket and put on a new pot of coffee. Did Cristina make breakfast at home with Burke? Would doing that remind her of him? Best to be safe, Meredith thought, and she grabbed a box of cereal. Cereal was just cereal. It could not actually have a connotation.

She was still in the kitchen when Cristina woke up. She watched her reach around as if looking for someone that was not there, but she realized what she was doing and stopped mid-reach. Her eyes still looked sad and broken, but she doubted Cristina would want to talk. They never did that. It always seemed too Lifetime Movie corny.

" Meredith?" Her voice was raspy.

"In the kitchen. I made coffee and there's cereal." She looked lost.

Cristina stumbled over to the kitchen, her eyes focused directly on Meredith. "Thanks."

She grabbed a mug and gulped down the coffee like it was her new source of air. There was silence while they ate. Meredith did not know what to say to her. Sympathy never worked with Cristina, but Cristina was her sister and she could not just leave her in this state. She wondered if there was some handbook to deal with this. What to Do when your Best Friend is [fill in the blank.

"Do…do you want to go to the hospital?" She already knew the answer, but at least the silence was broken.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I? It's our first day as residents." Apparently, they were going to ignore the issue altogether.

"Okay."

Cristina had that look in her eyes from yesterday. She needed to cut. Meredith knew that Cristina Yang was a surgeon and maybe she just needed a little reassurance. Everyone needs some encouragement every once in a while. Cutting into someone could rejuvenate Cristina. Maybe if they were lucky it would bring her snarky friend back.

Cristina sighed. "I need this Meredith. I'm not staying at the apartment."

"I know." Meredith gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze before heading off to change.


	3. Chapter 3

**Three **

It seemed particularly interesting that Yang… Cristina had been assigned to him and Meredith to Burke. Maybe Bailey and the Chief had devised this little plan to torture him further. Robbing him of a chance to speak to Meredith was outright cruel. He sighed and walked into the scrub room where Cristina was already washing her hands.

" Cristina."

" Dr. Shepherd." Exactly like Preston in that respect: she was all professionalism. Personally, he preferred more of a relaxed atmosphere, but that was him.

The nurses stopped whispering when she walked in. Her face was impassive, her actions deliberate. He marveled at her ability to keep calm and collected. If Meredith had left him at the altar, not that they were getting married at this rate, he would not have showed up to work at all. Considering the mess he was already in just from having to breathe for her, he knew he would be devastated if the love of his life left him.

"It's a beautiful morning to save lives." He made the first incision.

Wait, was Preston the love of her life? He had assumed this to be true especially after all she did regarding his tremors. Whenever he went in to check on him, she was there. They had been playing their silent treatment game then, but her eyes had said it all. Those same eyes now, however, held no emotion. Solid brown with no flicker of light within…what was going on in that head of hers?

She was a good surgeon and knowledgeable. His questioning yielded quick answers. Barely needing any instruction, Cristina cut decisively. Clearly, she had put a lot of preparation into this surgery. Derek had thought she would falter or at least be less aggressive. He had expected more emotion and slower reflexes.

He was wrong.

"Nice technique Dr. Yang." Derek examined the aneurysm.

"Thank you Dr. Shepherd."

She stepped back, allowing him to probe deeper into the brain. Looking up, he noticed the nurses glancing at her. Their masks failed to hide the curiosity on their faces as they watched her. Yet she continued to ignore it all. Surely, she was aware that nearly all the women in the room were focusing on her.

They finished the surgery within the hour. It was a fine job and the man should have a full recovery. He pulled his mask off and grinned. There was no high like neurosurgery. Meredith had said that once and he wholeheartedly agreed. The nurses had not begun to leave when Cristina pulled down her mask.

"I'd appreciate it if you would all stop staring at me and talking about me. I'm not some accident you're slowing down to watch. I'm a surgeon." She walked into the scrub room, surprised faces behind her.

Preston had his work cut out for him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Four **

The OR was silent. Few nurses were in on this surgery and for that Meredith was grateful. They would pepper her with questions about Cristina and Burke. She was expected to know more, but Meredith hated to feed the gossipers. It was not her fault that their own lives were not dark and twisted enough to amuse them.

Burke had barely said a word during the entire operation. He would politely ask for a ten-blade, suction, or invite her to try her hand at it. However, when he was not looking at the heart, he would turn that intense gaze on her. Those eyes were probably one of the reasons Cristina had loved him.

She was tired of this. She could not take it anymore. " Dr. Burke, do you have something to say to me?"

He almost flinched, his eyes flashing. Caught in his game, he said, " Dr. Grey… Meredith, how is she?" His voice was full of pain, his eyes earnest and sad.

She didn't give a damn.

"You want to know how she is?" He nodded.

"You left her Dr. Burke. You left her at your own wedding. You don't deserve an answer to that question."

Men with their stupid boy-penises. They were seriously the root of all that was wrong with the world. She had never known that Burke was one of those. Meredith used to think Cristina was lucky. Her boyfriend had been mature and had the bonus of not having a wife. He had loved her and she him. Meredith had not thought that life would come in and screw with them this way, but like people say life's a bitch.

" Meredith…I—"

She cut him off. "I'm not done. I spent last night holding Cristina while she sobbed and sobbed Burke. You don't know what you did to her. She was ready. She was going to walk down that aisle and prove that—"

"If she was ready, why didn't she come?" Meredith could tell he honestly wanted to know.

"Your mama took her eyebrows away. She needed to cut so Bailey let her. Her vows rubbed off when she scrubbed in. You couldn't give her a little time, just a little time? Time is what we all need. She was ready. She wanted to be married and you took that away from her. You with your stupid boy-penis robbed us—her of her happy ending."

She watched him as he stood there. His shoulders were bowed and she could see the faint outline of a frown underneath his mask. Damn right he should feel horrible! After all Cristina had done for the wedding, he had left. This relationship of theirs was so over. It was all over. He needed to realize that because Meredith would not allow him to hurt Cristina again.

"I love her," he whispered.

"That's not enough."


	5. Chapter 5

**Five **

People strode back and forth across the catwalk. There were nurses carrying charts, visitors with bouquets, even the occasional secretary. Doctors walked across the bridge, appearing to be a in a deep conversation about high-stakes medicine. It was usually not the case. Those serious faces were probably more concerned with their own lives or the latest rumor than their patients' lives.

He leaned against the railing, occasionally sipping coffee. This was the best vantage spot to see the majority of the people within the hospital. Everyone passed through this area at some point. Therefore Meredith eventually would come here, and he would be able to talk to her. He needed answers. He needed _the_ answer.

It had been twenty minutes of dedicated people-watching when he spotted her. Lucky for him, she was already walking up the stairs to the catwalk. Finally he would have his chance. He smiled one of his charming grins and walked to Meredith. She seemed distracted, but he persisted and grabbed her arm. Turning to face him, she stopped walking.

"What Derek?"

"We need to talk. You have to tell me what is going on with us." He was earnest, practically pleading with her to put him out of his misery.

There was a familiar scrub cap that flashed in the corner of his eye. "I can't right now. I need to go talk to Cristina."

" Cristina, it's always her. You picked your friends first." He let go of her, anger beginning to simmer within.

"She was left at the altar Derek. She's my friend and she needs me."

"I need you! Why won't you talk to me?"

He didn't care if he sounded whiny or clingy. Being her boyfriend, he deserved attention did he not? She was not even looking at him. She was looking below the catwalk onto the first floor. He followed her sightline and saw Cristina, with Preston close behind. Unbelievable! She could not even bother to pay attention to him when they were having a conversation.

When she walked away without a word, he just stood there watching. She flew down the steps to catch up with the other two. Derek leaned against the railing again. Cristina had noticed Preston's pursuit and whirled around. Her face had that same impassive look he saw during the surgery. He thought Preston had meant to give her time. This looked like nothing of the sort.

The nurses waited with bated breath, but the moment was lost. Meredith had reached him. She latched onto the man's arm and pulled him away from Cristina and their audience. Preston appeared to be protesting, but Meredith was stubborn. Her grip on his arm must be tight, Derek thought. Preston glanced back at Cristina, but followed Meredith.

Cristina's shoulders had slumped now. For a moment she lost her edge, that hardcore attitude. She looked down and massaged her temple. Within a minute, though, her shoulders had straightened. A resolute face now turned to the nurses. Defiant and proud, she walked away. Derek could not comprehend her control. Almost a public scene and there was but a moment of weakness. One flicker of hesitation.

He sighed and hung his head in his hands. When had Cristina and Burke's love lives begun to supersede his own?


	6. Chapter 6

**Six **

"What are you doing?" She kept her voice cold, emotionless, trying to channel her inner Cristina.

They were in an empty room. The patient had been discharged earlier today. She had directed Burke to the table. His hands were clasped together, his eyes focused on the interlocking fingers. Cristina was not ready for confrontation. If anything she needed to be the one to initiate the first contact. Meredith had to make sure that Burke would give Cristina that time to rebuild herself.

" Burke, what are you doing?" She could not help it. A little sympathy wormed its way into her words.

"I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to explain." His voice sounded surer now, but at the same time it was filled with longing.

"I told you during surgery and I mean what I said. You don't deserve or have the right or whatever to talk to her."

She wanted him to understand this. He chose to leave. He chose the traditional wedding. He chose to involve their mothers. He chose everything, and it should be Cristina's turn. That was how the world was supposed to work. The pendulum swinging back and forth and all of that. Balance or whatever.

His eyes flicked to her face. "Who are you to dictate how I conduct my business?" He said it very calmy.

"I'm her sister." It was as simple as that. Clear-cut, just the way a surgeon could understand. "Let me tell you something Burke. She loves you. She had all of those bright and shiny feelings, well as much as Cristina could. It was all in her vows, you know. Sure she wrote them the night before, but at least she didn't Google them or whatever."

"She had vows?"

He sounded surprised. Did he think she was a compulsive liar or something, that she was making stuff up for the fun of it? Contrary to popular belief, the drowning had not screwed her up that much. Seriously, this stuff was getting a little insulting.

"Yeah." He seemed to consider her answer, but did not press further.

"You never answered my question."

"She loves you, but it hurts her. She needs to move on, to heal from what you did. Her love is eating away at her and I won't stand by and watch this happen." She tried to sound firm.

"That's why you need to leave her alone. You left. Right now, there's no going back."


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven **

Sometimes Derek wondered why he had ever left New York. Even in summer, he needed to wear jackets to deal with the Seattle weather. Then again, it did have the nice view and the good camping country. None of this mattered in the end. What he cared about in this moment was Meredith and her inability to communicate with him. Could she not give him one second to talk? Cristina was an adult after all. She could handle herself for a few minutes.

The situation was just so unbelievable. Here their relationship was drowning and Meredith could not even be bothered to pay attention to it. Instead, she was spending all her time involved in Preston and Cristina's affairs. He was Preston's friend, but he had managed to try to talk to her. Was it not fair that she attempt the same?

Sighing at the misery that filled his life, Derek pushed open the door into Joe's. He ordered a Scotch and then noticed Preston. The man sat at the end of the bar idly playing with his glass. Derek sat on the seat next to him, but Preston did not look up. He was staring off into space.

" Preston?" He tapped him on the shoulder to jolt him from his daydreaming.

"Oh, Derek."

"Why are you here?" Preston was not known to frequent Joe's.

"Just thinking…"

There he was, playing with the glass again. Derek gulped down the Scotch, shaking a little as the liquor burned down his throat. The nearly monosyllabic answers were not helping the conversation to move along. Did no one want to talk to him anymore?

"Where are you staying now?"

"The Hotel Archfield. Richard kicked me out of the on-call room in the morning."

Derek laughed. "Yeah, I'd think Richard would frown on living in the hospital."

Preston nodded, smiling slightly. "She had vows, you know."

"What?"

" Cristina, she had vows. They were rubbed off or scrubbed off…something happened to them. That's why she didn't come in." He was trying to be matter-of-fact and nonchalant, but Derek had played that game before. It never worked.

"She had vows and I walked away."

"You didn't know." He did not know how to comfort Preston. Walking away from Meredith was impossible to even think of right now.

"I didn't ask. I gave her no choice." He paused. " Meredith was right about that."

" Meredith talked to you today?"

Again, she was picking other people over him. She was not even particularly great friends with Preston. Yet, of course, anyone was better than speaking to him. Dealing with everyone else's problems was apparently preferable to acknowledging theirs. God, she drove him crazy. If this was how it was going to be, she needed to make it easier on him and just break things off. One-sided relationships were doomed to fail.

"She stopped me from talking to Cristina." That's where she had gone off to. "You're lucky. Meredith understands… and she truly cares about people."

He made a noncommittal noise. "You're lucky too. Now you know that she was sure and steady."

"She wasn't."

"But I thought…"

Preston shook his head. "She had the vows, the dress, the Burke jewelry, but she wasn't ready. We were not ready. I pushed too hard."

"With those two, we need to push." This seemed perfectly logical.

"No. I shouldn't have done what I did and now…" He shrugged. "I have to fix it."

"Right." Replying to these revelations seemed unnecessary, but Preston seemed to want some confirmation of his ideas.

"I think I'm going to go home now…I mean to the hotel. Good night Derek." He grabbed his jacket to leave.

"Good night Preston."

Derek leaned on the counter, thinking about what Preston had said. His pushing Cristina was like him breathing for Meredith wasn't it? Maybe he was right. Maybe they did need to stop, but he had done that already. That was getting him nowhere. This was too much, too much to think about. He did not want to contemplate his own relationship. Watching Preston try to win Cristina back could help him in his own goal of securing the love of his life.

Sure and steady. Everyone wanted that. He wanted that, but he wanted it with Meredith. Preston wanted it with Cristina. The crux of the problem here was the women. He needed to find a way to bring them both around, but first he had to convince Cristina that Preston really did care. Meredith would refuse to acknowledge their relationship until those two were settled. She cared far too much, and because she did he would have to as well.

Perhaps being so involved in Preston and Cristina's love lives would not be so bad after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight **

Okay, so yes Meredith was quite aware that tequila was bad for her. She knew that she only drank this much when her life sucked. Denial was pointless right now. Her life _really_ sucked. Her real mother had died. She had almost died and gone to a weird purgatory place in the hospital. Her dog had died, but at least she saw him again in purgatory. Plus her fake!Mommy died and to make matters worse her miserable excuse of a father had blamed her for it. She was barred from the goddamn funeral. The icing on the cake, however, had to be Derek's highlight of the week: flirting with another woman.

Clearly, her life abysmally sucked.

She hated talking about it though so instead she was drinking her feelings. It was very typical of her, but this time she had drinking buddies. Izzie and Cristina were right there too, drinking their feelings. Meredith never knew that feelings tasted so much like tequila, but life's a box of chocolates or whatever. She shared a secret giggle with herself before pouring another round. Hmmm, maybe she should tune in to the rest of the conversation.

Izzie was completely drunk. The girl could never hold her alcohol. The both of them could drink her under the table. " Cristina! Cristina, listen to me."

"What Barbie? You're not going to start singing are you? I'm not drunk enough to listen to that yet."

"No, no, no. That's what George did the night we—" She stopped speaking quickly, her eyes darting back and forth. "I wanna know what's going on with you and Preston…you two were all happy and then bam! He had no eyebrows…wait you had no eyebrows and we all left the chapel."

"Shut up Izzie. We're not talking about men tonight remember?" Meredith did not want to make Cristina think about Burke.

"I was just asking. Jesus, Mere! Cuz if the two of them are not together, I bet half the nurses are going to chase him down. Maybe even Addison." Izzie hiccupped.

"No more tequila for you." Meredith gave a false laugh before pulling the bottle away.

Cristina had glanced up at those words, surprise flickering on her face. "Why?"

"His vows! They were so goddamn amazing. I mean seriously. He said them to all of us in surgery. Even you Miss Hearts-don't-have-lips would have been floored. Too bad you couldn't hear them." Idiot.

"Uh, new subject. Did anyone see that surgery with—"

Cristina was not drunk at all, and Meredith knew this. "No Meredith, I want to hear them. Tell me what he said Izzie."

"Wait, I wrote them down. God they were so amazing…" She scrambled to get her bag which was haphazardly thrown on the couch.

"Here they are. Cristina, I could promise to hold you, and to cherish you. I could promise to be there, in sickness and in health. I could say till death do us part. But I won't. Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. I do not stand here on my wedding day optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic. I am not hopeful. I am sure. I am steady. I'm a heart man. Take 'em apart, put 'em back together, hold them in my hands. I am a heart man. So this, I am sure. You are my partner. My lover. My very best friend. My heart. My heart beats for you. And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this. I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands, I promise you... me."

Meredith gasped. They were good, heartbreakingly good. She watched Cristina carefully. Her person's life was pretty sucky too and hearing this could only make it worse. She practically held her breath while she waited. Cristina looked down at her hands for a moment before putting on a calm face before Izzie.

"Weren't they so good?"

"Yes…they're…well-written." No break or cracks in her tone.

" Cristina?"

"Not now Meredith."

She nodded and the three of them moved on to other topics. Every once in a while Meredith would look over at Cristina. Maybe it was a coincidence. Maybe it was just the random tread of her eyes…but surgeons did not work with maybes. They worked with reality. Every time Meredith looked over at Cristina, her eyes would land on that scrap of paper in the middle of the table.

She had to stop this for Cristina's sake. The empty bottles were shoved over the paper. No more reminders of Burke. No more nostalgia, real or imagined. This was her duty as Cristina's person. She had to strip everything away, so if they were lucky the broken Cristina that had sobbed endlessly yesterday would never come back.

This relationship was over and Meredith would make sure it remained that way.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

Derek sipped his cup of coffee, savoring its taste as he surveyed the board. This was not what he wanted, not at all. Cristina was not even on the board and that would certainly ruin his scheme to reunite her and Preston. He was actually surprised that she had not signed herself up for the most interesting or the most complicated surgeries, but he had seen her leave with Meredith prior to the nurses putting up today's schedule. That was why he was here at this ungodly hour. He had wanted to change the residents on the board to suit his plan.

Grinning to himself, he reached for the eraser. Izzie did not need to scrub in on a heart transplant did she? With a swipe, her name disappeared from Preston's surgery. A smirk spread across his face. He was about to add Cristina's name, but then Bailey came down the hall. She slowed, apparently not believing her eyes, but she did stop. Unfortunately.

" Dr. Shepherd? What are you doing here?" She seemed suspicious. He needed to head her off.

"Felt like a bright start. It's a wonderful morning to save lives." He smiled confidently.

"A wonderful morning to save lives," she muttered. "You don't even have surgeries until the afternoon. You're up to something. I don't know what it is, but I'll find out."

With a patented Nazi glare, Bailey left, mumbling something about attendings and early mornings under her breath. That had been a narrow escape yet hope sprung eternal. He picked up the dry erase marker again to pen Cristina's name. Poised to write he savored his victory until he heard his name being called. Again. Apparently there existed a conspiracy whose sole goal was to ruin his plans.

The Chief approached to examine the board. Derek greeted him before leaving. He would have to return later. Richard could spend anywhere from ten to thirty minutes looking at the board. He would reorder surgeries, add notes, or choose ones to watch from the gallery. Derek was not particularly worried. He still had three hours until that surgery would scrub in. Plenty of time to play with.

In the meantime, he needed coffee. After buying another latte, he walked to the elevator. He found Meredith, Cristina, Izzie and Alex within. The urge to stand by Meredith, to smell her hair almost won, but he was taking Preston's advice to heart. No pushing. He retreated to a corner of the elevator and concentrated on sipping his coffee. It killed him to stay to the side and ignore her, but it had to be done.

Nearly an hour and a half had passed by the time he had another chance. The hall was empty. Nurses, doctors, and orderlies had disappeared to other parts of the hospital. There would be no savoring the moment now. He would not be stopped again. Seizing the marker, he scribbled in Cristina's name for Preston's surgery.

"What are you doing?"

He hung his head. Escape had been so close. " Nothing, Meredith."

"You added Cristina's name? Why are you interfering? When have you ever cared what happened to them?" She seemed furious.

" Preston is my friend Meredith. I'm helping him. You should understand that." She stood there staring at him.

"They need to find each other again. Doesn't everyone deserve that chance?" Once they did, he would get his chance.

"He left her. He broke her."

"Now he's fixing his mistake." Derek ran fingers through his hair. He needed her on his side for this to work.

" Meredith, they belong together."


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten **

Fifteen minutes until the surgery and Meredith was still watching the board with Derek right beside her. She knew there was no point in erasing Cristina's name right now because he would just put it back on. They were at a stalemate, and neither of them was planning to surrender. He was giving her his confident grin, the one that had allegedly charmed half of Seattle Grace. How she wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, but she resisted. That would be giving in.

Derek was doing that thing where he leaned on things or whatever and watched her. It would have been distracting, but she was used to it by now. Suddenly, she had an idea. He would not let her erase Cristina's name, but there was no reason for him to stop her from adding herself. She broke the stalemate and grabbed the dry erase pen, but Derek was alert and now he was watching her very carefully.

She reached forward to write her name in, but was interrupted. "Grey, what the hell are you doing?"

Shit, it was Bailey. "Oh, she's just adding her name to Dr. Burke's surgery, right Meredith?"

Damn him.

"Let me ask you something Grey." Fantastic. She was in for it now. "When did you pass your intern exams?"

"Three days ago. Well, that's if you count the day I took my test as one of my days, but if not then that was two—" One look from Bailey and she knew to stop talking.

"Two days as a resident and you're writing on the board. It's always one of my interns doing what they shouldn't be doing, always."

"I'm not an intern," Meredith blurted before she realized the true idiocy of her actions.

"You'll always be one of my interns Grey. Get used to it. If I see you go near this board for the next two years I will make sure you get to work with Dr. Heron." Oh my god, Bailey was serious.

She carefully placed the pen back on the board and stepped away. Derek started laughing the moment Bailey left. Smug McAss. Still laughing, he walked toward the elevator. It would be too much of a risk to add her name. Bailey would find out. The Nazi had ways. She sighed. At least she could still watch the surgery from the gallery. If anything happened Meredith would page Cristina with some 911. Cristina would be pissed, but at least she would not have to talk to him.

The elevator ride was silent despite the fact that it was only the two of them. This was twice now that they had been in elevators together today. Where was all the hair sniffing and the charming flirtation? Where were the actions that verged on sexual harassment? Derek was not even gloating about his victory except for a certain look in his eyes. This had to be a sign of the apocalypse. It was just so odd and unnatural and all…weird.

She opened the door into the gallery to find it completely full. There were nurses and doctors filling the seats. It was a routine surgery. There was no reason for them all to be here. God, even the interns were here. They should not even know what had happened. Someone had snacks. This was not some spectacle for them to see. Dammit.

"Why are you all in here?"

" Dr. Burke is an excellent…I've never seen one…it's the only surgery open…"

"You people…what is wrong with you? This is not some car accident you get to watch. Are your lives not interesting enough that you have to pry into theirs? Seriously!"

The crowd sat there silent for a moment before turning away to ignore her. Fine they could ignore her. That was just freaking fine. She moved to the middle of the glass and stood directly in front of at least ten people. Their complaints did nothing to phase her. She refused to move and after a moment Derek joined her. Unfortunately, no one had picked up on the hint and left.

Though she could not hear anything from the gallery, Meredith could imagine the conversation. There were two scenarios. In the first case there could be awkward silences filled only by the sound of instrument requests. On the other hand, Cristina could be in full on bitter snark mode which Meredith wished she could hear. Then again she supposed Cristina might be polite, but cold. That route had hurt Burke before.

Two hours passed before the two of them began to close up the chest. It was amazing how well they worked together. Their movements were never jarring or sudden. The entire surgery had been smooth and graceful. No blowups or arguments could be seen. Meredith bet the audience was disappointed. Bloodthirsty asses that they were.

Finally, they were done. Meredith hurried down to the scrub room to meet with Cristina. She needed details. Plus she did not want Burke to be able to speak to Cristina. He had no right to press his whatever on her right now. Derek had been taken by surprise and was still steps behind her. Ha! She was winning this time.

" Cristina, you good?" She was washing her hands, not even looking at Burke.

"Yeah."

"That was a good surgery Cris— Dr. Yang." His eyes were pained.

Cristina shut off the water. "I'm a good surgeon."

When they were outside Cristina told her, "He's coming to the apartment later to pick up the rest of his stuff."

"I'll help you pack it." To be honest, she was not exactly in the mood to box things up, but her presence would ensure no emotional, Cristina-breaking conversation or speeches from Burke.

That was what mattered: protecting Cristina.


	11. Chapter 11

**Eleven **

Derek knocked on the door. Preston did not seem quite up to it. He was standing there, eyes locked on the entrance, but not really looking at it. This was the first time he had been back to the apartment since the day he left. It had to hurt. Derek knew about pain. At least he would not be walking in on Cristina in the throes with someone else. That had to be some comfort to him. Of course, Derek could not actually say that. He was a bit afraid that Preston would punch him if he even suggested such a thing.

Meredith answered the door. She was wearing that Dartmouth shirt with her hair in a tight ponytail. He missed her, but tonight he was Preston's friend, not Meredith's ex (God that hurt too)-boyfriend. A surprised look flitted across her face, but it soon disappeared behind an icy glare. It seemed like the door barely opened, as if Meredith was only allowing a trickle of the two of them into the apartment.

By the doorway, the two women had placed stacks three high of cardboard boxes. They were all neatly labeled in thick black marker. So this was Preston's life compartmentalized. This was what it came down to: his life in boxes, but he was missing something. Derek supposed that he could not really box up Cristina for Preston as a late best man gift. He figured she would hurt him.

"All the boxes are there with your whatever inside. The contract is on the table."

"Contract?" He had never pinned them as a pre-nup couple. They must need to sever it.

Cristina walked out of the bedroom, another box in her hands. "I've assumed since you left, the apartment is now mine. I'd prefer it if you signed the apartment over to me tonight."

Of course, the lease. Derek was jumping to conclusions a bit too much today. Preston nodded. It was a jerky motion, slightly delayed as if he was still processing everything. Preston looked at Cristina straight to her eyes. Were they having some silent conversation? In the end, he looked down. Cristina's cold anger had overcome his regretful love at least for now. He walked over to the table and barely read the contract before signing it.

"So, I'll um…take the first few boxes down." His words did nothing to break the tension.

This was not going to be as easy as he had hoped. Cristina was a formidable woman who had a righteously angry best friend at her back. Preston would certainly not be back in that apartment anytime soon. His game plan needed to change. Putting the two of them together had only resulted in polite exchanges, riddled with tension, but still empty of actual emotion. This was definitely a problem.

He did love a challenge though.

Preston exited the elevator with another two boxes. Derek grabbed his shoulder, but he shook his head and continued to walk out to the car. Sighing, he waited for him by the elevator. The man needed encouragement now. Preston came back in with his head down. He looked defeated.

"It's over, isn't it? She doesn't want me in her life."

Derek tried to grin, bringing some of his charm into his words. " Preston? Giving up so easily?"

Preston was silent, not bothering to respond.

"It's not over. It won't be over until you give up."


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve **

The two of them were grabbing the last four boxes. She had overseen them taking Burke's stuff down while Cristina checked the apartment for any missed objects. For the entire hour or so that had passed, Meredith had stood, hand cocked on her hip, with a cold stare. It was getting tiring. All she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with some good strawberry ice cream. Why did magic fairies that moved stuff and cut all the emotional entanglements in your life not exist? They would be so convenient.

A few minutes later, she heard the ding of the elevator. She wondered why they were back. After all everything was gone. The shelves were bare; the drawers were empty. Burke no longer had a presence or a root in this apartment. When she heard their steps coming closer to the door, she adopted that same cold, bitchy look. Might as well finish the job.

Burke walked to Cristina, who was resorting the shelves. He almost tapped her on the shoulder, but his hand froze in mid-air. It shook visibly and for a moment, just a single moment, Meredith felt pity for him. The hand dropped back to his side. He whispered her name, his voice cracked and broken. Cristina looked up, her eyes impassive. Placing the keys into her hand, Burke said a soft goodbye and gave another one of those heart-breaking intense gazes that could give Derek a run for his money.

With his shoulders bowed, he walked out the door. He did look back one last time. Meredith could tell his eyes only rested on Cristina. Derek, however, did not follow. What the hell did he want? If he thought this was the time to talk to her about their now non-existent relationship, she…she…well she did not really know what she would do, but it would be bad, mark her words. He nodded in Cristina's direction, receiving a very succinct one in return.

Derek walked toward her and then leaned in. "This thing you're doing, the best friend thing. I respect it, but you're not going to win Meredith. They belong together."

"I don't see any of your schemes working."

"I'm not done trying. They deserve to be together." No, what Cristina deserved was a man who would not force her into a wedding she did not want, and then leave her at the freaking chapel. That was what she deserved.

"He does not deserve her." Their furious whispers were ignored by Cristina who went into the bedroom.

"He loves her." Of course that was supposed to be enough in his whatever, but Derek was a romantic or so ghost/immortal spirit Denny had told her.

"Not enough. It's over, Derek. We're over. They're over. Let it go and move on. Go hang out with the person you met in the bar." Hey, she had the right to be a little bitter.

He laughed for a moment, before turning to leave. "It's never over."


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen **

They waited. Derek really hated waiting. It seemed like they were hanging in suspended animation while the months passed them by. Preston still loved Cristina. He still loved Meredith. The only thing that changed was the method of exchange. At first, the two of them freezed him and Preston. No talking except for what was necessary or the occasionally bitter barb. That had hurt Preston. In a way, Derek was more equipped to deal with this. He had done this silent treatment, we're in a fight, but we still love each other, thing before.

Hope sprung eternal, however. He knew that eventually they would thaw. They continued to wait. Derek made no overtures. There was no changing of the boards or none too subtle suggestions. All he did was spread the word through the rumor mill. Preston still loves her. He'll always love her. Even in their remarkable self-chosen isolation, some of that had to reach their ears.

In the meantime, he and Preston bonded. They went camping, had drinks at Joe's. Preston would beat him to a pulp at ball. It was almost like it had been with Mark. Almost, but not quite. Despite all the male bonding, there existed an unspoken agreement. No talking about their relationships or even the women they loved. This had proved a bit difficult at first. Growing up with four sisters, he had always been free with his emotions, but Preston's condition insisted.

Four months, two weeks, and three days had passed since Preston moved out of the apartment. At first he had stayed at the Hotel Archfield, but he soon found an apartment that was coincidentally within a block of his old. They started jogging together, but Derek never remarked on the fact that their ridiculously early morning jog took them by Cristina's apartment. Of course, Preston had not said a word either when he led them by Meredith's house.

Now Derek was tired of the arrangement. He wanted to break out and try again. His plan was to ease Preston into it at first. Derek would start with a little maneuvering. It had become much easier, since Meredith and Cristina had started to occasionally speak to them with, if not warm, not quite so cold terms. Pushing the envelope would be hard, but Preston would not have to start it right away. Maybe a few weeks in and Derek would tell his friend about what was going on.

Maybe.

Tomorrow he would begin. Board assignments were already up, and Cristina was his resident. He would test the waters. It would definitely be hard to crack that shell of hers, but he was McDreamy after all. The professionalism would be an issue too, but maybe if he asked her when she was focused on some complicated part of the surgery he would have a better chance. No matter what though he would find the truth of her feelings and how much work he would have to do tomorrow.

Meredith had the day off tomorrow. The fiery best friend being absent should help. She would not be able to block his attempts at Preston and Cristina's reunification if she was not there. In truth, he half-wanted her there in the operating room, watching and listening. If he got the answer he wanted, it would finally open her eyes. He wanted her too see that her alleged protection of Cristina was wrong. Maybe if she knew that, she could help him.

So tomorrow it is, he thought. Tomorrow the game begins again


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen **

The two of them had this ritual. Every Tuesday, no matter what, she and Cristina would meet at Joe's and rehash the week's events. It happened even if they had just seen each other the day before, the day before that. Okay, let's be honest here. They saw each other every day. In the end, it was really just an excuse for the both of them, okay, Meredith to get drunk. So she was still inhaling tequila like it was oxygen. At least this time, there was no sleeping with random bar guys. She was over that. Besides with her luck, it would be her new boss or her vet or some other guy who would be deeply involved with her life which would in turn result in awkwardness or whatever.

Wait, she was rambling again. That was bad. Stop, Meredith, stop.

Anyways, they met every Tuesday at ten. That usually gave enough leeway if they had a particularly late surgery. Cristina was sitting in their usual spot already. She appeared to be fending off some overeager intern. Meredith almost felt sorry for the kid. Messing with Cristina Yang had dire consequences. He had worked here for a few months. Her reputation should have been well-known to him by now.

Meredith pulled out a chair and sat down just in time to see the kicked puppy look on his face. That combined with Cristina's roll of the eyes made her burst into laughter. He could still hear her. She knew that at one point she would have felt bad. At one point she would have pitied him and his Georgelike ways, but those times were gone. Compassion and pity were for losers. That was their new mantra. She liked it.

She started on her usual ramblings about what had happened to her this week. Then Cristina gave her much shorter version of events. By this point, Meredith was buzzed. Next came the fun part. They discussed the various idiotic actions of the hospital staff, including, but not limited too, George's mishaps with Callie, Mark's ever-growing number of women, and Izzie, well, being Izzie. This thing they did was why they were friends.

As the night progressed, Meredith started on the tequila. She always saved it for last now. It was like some bizarre reward for managing to drink this much without passing out or throwing up. Despite her general fuzzy state, she still noticed the pensive look on Cristina's face. This did not bode well. When Cristina had the face that looked like that, Meredith knew it was about Burke and his stupid boy-penis. Oooh, tequila was good. Wait, focus on Cristina.

"What's with the look on your whatever?"

"Nothing." She paused and said completely unconvincingly, "I'm fine."

"So you're fine? I must be sober. Joe, more shots!"

Cristina scowled. "Fine Shepherd…" They had stopped calling him McDreamy because calling Derek McDreamy implied that he was still dreamy when he was absolutely not. He was an ass, even if he had that wavy, perfect hair. Ass.

"He told me that Burke is starting to move on. He's setting him up with some idiot from Mercy West."

"But, it doesn't matter right? Because you don't care." Meredith pulled herself away from the intoxicating tequila to stare at Cristina.

Oh shit. It mattered.

"Oh. My. God. You care! Cristina!"

"I don't care. I was just stating something."

In this perfect world that existed in Meredith's head, Cristina was over Burke. She was over Derek. That reality had them both deliriously, gloriously happy at the prospect of returning to the dating scene. They were supposed to find wonderful, handsome, sweet and positively perfect guys who would be so much better. They would get their knights in shining whatever 2.0. It was supposed to be fantastic. Seriously.

See, the problem with Meredith's head was that a lot of times, things that went in there never made much sense. They never had much hope at becoming true. Because if you got down to the truth of the matter, the bare facts, it was all a lie. It was a damn good lie, but in the end it was a lie. Denial was fun. Denying that they were still in love, lust or whatever the hell their relationships were based on was good. It was nice easy, functional escape mechanism. She was really going to miss it.

The simple fact of the matter was it was so not over.


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen **

Today was a bright and glorious day. For once it was not even raining. The birds were out, the sun was shining, and everyone seemed completely happy. It was infectious. To make his day even better, it had been a fantastic week. The root of it all was actually funny in a way. He was happy, so very happy, because she cared. Cristina Yang, the notoriously cold resident herself, cared.

It was absolutely amazing. After that surgery, he had spent the week offering remarks about Preston's moving on to her whenever he saw her. He acted oblivious to any of her reactions as if he were merely commenting on the weather. It was getting to her. When she finally snapped at him, the next phase of the plan would continue. Of course, if she found out he was lying about Preston's renewed sense of self Derek was screwed. He should not focus on that though because he _was_ going to succeed.

Perfect, she was getting coffee. "Good morning, Cristina." She gave him a look. " Dr. Yang." So he was not quite ready to push her that far.

"Morning Dr. Shepherd."

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

Again with that glare, did she not ever get tired of using it? "It's sunny." Her voice was deadpan.

"Well, er, the birds are out?" Those eyes again. "How are you?"

"Fine."

"That's good. I hope you're moving on as well. It's much better this way isn't it?"

Derek attempted to examine her reaction nonchalantly. He had become good at these observations lately. Her eyes had flashed just a bit when he said better, but they had returned to the usual unemotional cast. Cristina had immense control. It had already been a week, and he never got more than that slight widening of her eyes. Sure, her movements became sharper, her body more angled, but that was not enough. Instead of replying to him, she walked away.

Before she had always given him some clipped, uncaring response. This time there was absolutely nothing. That was something at least. It was enough for him anyway. Phase Two of his operation would begin now. He knew that Meredith and Cristina always met at Joe's on Tuesday nights. They were punctual, ten always. Izzie had mentioned it in passing; she was a semi-reliable source.

Preston and him would go there tonight. The man was less depressed now. Derek figured he was almost ready to be brought into the game, but that could wait. For now seeing Cristina outside the hospital could either bounce him back or send him to the bench. It all depended on his reaction. Either way worked with Derek. If Cristina saw happy Preston, he was hoping for the jealous, scorned lover response. If Preston was pathetic and mournful, she might just feel pity and realize all of Derek's information was lies.

The plan sounded a bit like a soap opera, but honestly, what had happened to them was a bit melodramatic. Leaving at the altar, getting shot, hiding the tremors…it just sounded too much like a TV show sometimes. Then again, his and Meredith's soon to be revived relationship was not that much better.

Later in the day, he met Preston by the board. He looked like he had just come from surgery. Derek hoped he would not be too tired for going to Joe's later tonight. Then he would have to wait at least another week before he could be sure of both Meredith and Cristina's presence. Besides, he was sick and tired of waiting all the time. Time for a change, time for a step forward he thought.

" Joe's tonight?" His voice sounded overly bright and cheery even to him.

Preston gave him an odd look. "Sure. My last surgery should end around nine."

"Fantastic then." Derek smiled. " Joe's it is."


	16. Chapter 16

**Sixteen **

Meredith pulled the door forward, intending to hold it for Cristina. Instead, she stood frozen in the entrance, staring at their spot. What the hell were they doing here in hers and Cristina's table on a Tuesday night at ten pm? That was a bit suspicious to say the least. Derek turned to look at the door. He smirked at her, eyes twinkling. Bastard. He had planned this. Not that he was not already annoying enough with the continual commenting to Cristina, but now, now, he had to ruin this one night a week where she and Cristina just relaxed?

" Meredith, move." Cristina pushed her through the door. She had to wrench Meredith's fingers from the handle.

Cristina did a quick survey of the room, but her face showed no recognition that Burke and Derek had taken their seats. She found two empty bar stools and ordered their usual from Joe. Ha, Derek! Cristina did not notice. Your little ploy is not going to win. Meredith grinned to herself.

"Do you know why Burke and Shepherd are in our spots?" Dammit.

"Uh, um…they're probably just grabbing drinks or something? You know that male bonding thing where guys drink and do guyish things and bump chests." God she was rambling. Again.

Cristina laughed. "It's fine Meredith. We're over them." Her eyes so did not say what just came out of her mouth.

"Right, yeah of course." Back away from the topic.

Cristina had placed them in such a way that Cristina's back was to the men, but Meredith to talk to Cristina had to see Derek's smirking face. Fantastic, she would be half-looking at the doctor formerly known as McDreamy the entire time. Her night was shaping up to be wonderful.

Burke was not looking at her; he seemed to be examining his glass, long fingers splayed across the top. He looked so sad. So much for Derek's talk about him moving on. Burke was the caricature of the depressed, mournfully yearning man. Every once in a while, his eyes would flicker to Cristina and then he would look back down. Meredith half-expected a heartfelt sigh. She supposed Burke was too manly and dignified to do one of those. Derek certainly was not.

"Hello Meredith, Cris—" Cristina glared at Derek. " Dr. Yang"

They both nodded to him as he grabbed another round. He leaned in closer to Meredith's ear. "I told you it wasn't over."

She ignored him. Sure, Meredith knew that Derek was actually right, but just because the relations were not over did not mean they should not be. Burke loved and left. Derek loved and no longer wanted to breathe. It was all a mess. Love was really not worth that much in the long run.

Meredith asked Cristina about her last surgery while continuing to watch the room. She noticed a pretty girl, maybe fresh out of college; thread her way through the crowd. The girl headed to Burke and Derek, an almost predatory look on her face. Derek glanced up and gave her that appraisal he had probably given to a thousand girls. Yet she was not interested in him. Not even bothering to acknowledge Derek's flirtatious smile, she turned to Burke.

The noise of the bar stopped Meredith from being able to pick up on the conversation. That girl was talking to Burke, leaning over to him. She was trying to give him an eyeful, but Burke was a gentleman and he did not look. He gave the girl a slight smile and shook his head, but she continued to press him. She held a hotel key up in the air and then put it on the table. Meredith watched, completely entranced.

" Meredith?"

The girl, bitch that she was, kissed Burke on the cheek. Derek glanced at Cristina, but frowned when he realized she did not know what was happening. He tried to signal Meredith, but she just could not believe her eyes. That girl who she could guarantee was nowhere near as pretty, or as smart, or as sarcastic as her person was touching Burke. Screw the fact that they were pseudo-over. Who did she think she was?

" Meredith!" Cristina poked her. "Stop staring into space. What are you looking at?"

Meredith could not stop watching long enough to tell her, so Cristina turned around and saw. "Oh." The sound seemed involuntary. Cristina inhaled quickly.

"Whatever." Yet Cristina did not turn around.

"Yeah whatever."

The girl started walking back into the crowd. She turned around to grin at Burke. Through a part in the crowd, Meredith could see the hotel key laying on the table. Derek's gaze switched between Burke and the card. If Burke took the card, Meredith did not know what to do. If he took the card, Meredith would have lost all faith in the resurrection of his and Cristina's relationship. Honestly, she did have hope. Derek had infected her with it. Hope had never been her friend though. She distrusted it. It lied, convincing you that your dreams could actually come true. Her theory would be proved true if Burke picked it up.

His hand reached forward.


	17. Chapter 17

_Thank you for the reviews. Oh also Miss Mady, are you the Miss Mady of Portkey?_**  
**

**Seventeen **

Derek wanted something more from Cristina. She was just staring at Preston. Staring implied residual feelings, but Derek had already confirmed that. Sure the little show that girl, Melissa, had put on was interesting. Everyone from the hospital was watching. Derek assumed they were waiting for Preston to either go after the girl or for Cristina to get involved. Seattle Grace was full of gossipers.

His plan had not actually gone off the way he wanted it too. Cristina and Meredith had arrived after him and Preston. Check. Preston had been laughing when they entered. Check. Derek thought Cristina had noticed, but he was not quite sure. Then Preston had become pensive. Check. The girl came up and flirted with Preston. Check. She had not originally been part of the plan, but the extra bait had not hurt. Meredith's slackjawed face alerts Cristina to the goings-on. Check.

All these checks were all well and good, but for his plan to actually succeed, Derek needed more action. Oooh, bonus, the girl had left her hotel card. He noticed Cristina's eyes flash. There that was a little better. How about going over there and beating her up, Cristina? Apparently, his telepathic powers had not worked out so well as she stayed in her seat. Preston reached for the card.

Wait, that was not part of the plan.

Preston was not actually supposed to take the girl up on her offer. That would completely screw up Derek's secret operation. Seriously, he goes through all this trouble to help his friend out, and Preston was about to go and screw it up. Derek sighed heavily. Now he needed a new plan. Again. However, he realized quickly that Preston was not partaking in a drunken one night stand. Instead he was returning the card to the girl.

Good man. The girl frowned, her lips puckering into that classic pout. It did nothing to phase Preston. He nodded his head politely before returning through the crowd. People from the hospital were exchanging money. They had laid bets? That was bloodthirsty. These people had absolutely no morals or empathy for their fellow human beings. He shook his head.

Preston sat down, giving Derek a wry smile. He had been amused by the girl's flirtation, but as always his eyes continued to stray to Cristina. She had turned around now. Disappointed, Derek frowned at her actions. Where was the jealous rage? Then he watched her down another shot before picking up her bags. Meredith and her usually spent a longer time here, but Cristina had had enough of Joe's. She put on her jacket and headed for the door.

The noise of the crowd softened just enough so he could hear the word, hospital. That had not been the reaction he was expecting, but it made sense. Preston and Cristina had always been workaholics. They lived and breathed the hospital until they met each other. Derek was not surprised that she was picking the hospital as her refuge. He still wished she had confronted the girl or Preston.

Yet what just happened was a step in the right direction. He was sure if he could provoke Cristina, she might just open her arms again. It probably would not be enough to forgive Preston immediately, but after that gesture Preston would find his way back. That part was up to him, not to Derek and his machinations. All he needed was to get Cristina to the tipping point.

He was so close; he could taste it.


	18. Chapter 18

**Eighteen **

For the first time in months, Meredith had arrived at the hospital before Cristina. It surprised her. She had always secretly thought that Cristina made it a competition. Cristina was always the first resident to arrive, and on every night but Tuesday the last to go home. Sometimes she won merely by minutes, but still she won. The truth was she had nothing to go home to anymore.

Before there was Burke. Sure Cristina would still stay and scrub in on an incredibly interesting surgery. Maybe she would be on call one night when it was not necessary. There was that one time when she had fallen asleep during sex, but that was a one-time thing. Usually, however, she went home with Burke the man she had loved so much. He probably cooked her dinner every night. Meredith could not even imagine Cristina being all domestic or whatever at the stove. That was far too weird.

Anyways the fact was, she had beat Cristina. She walked out the locker room to check the charts. She was going to have first pick. Meredith was tempted to do a victory dance, but that would probably have freaked out the patients. Cristina came from around the corner, holding two cups of coffee in her hands. She seemed a bit frazzled, a little out there, but Meredith knew hardcore medical genius Cristina just needed a caffeine jolt to start up.

"I brought you coffee. Mocha lattes." She started to hand me one.

I leaned away from the charts to show her I already had coffee. It was on the counter. "Beat you to it this morning. I win. I totally win."

She placed the coffees on the table, pushing one to the side. "What are you talking about?"

Playing dumb, huh? "You know. Your game, your competition thing or whatever." Her face was blank.

"You always get here first every single morning and I beat you. I got here first today and it feels so good." Meredith grinned wide.

Cristina started laughing. Hmmm, that was not her usual response to losing. "I've been here for two hours. I figured you would want coffee with your late start."

"Late start? It's. it's…" She was smirking, damn her. "This _is_ early. You're insane. No fair, you never get here this early."

"It must hurt losing, but Meredith you know I always win. Do you need to sit down somewhere and pull a Bambi?" Meredith was still sputtering. She had won!

Out of the corner of her eye, Meredith saw Burke come around the corner, looking as if he had just come from surgery. "I am not pouting. I can't believe you showed up as early as an intern. The whole being residents thing," she waved her hands around and said, "was supposed to be a few extra hours of sleeping."

"Sleep is for the weak and apparently you're one of them." She was laughing now.

Burke's eyes lit up at the sound. "Whose coffee is that?" He was very focused on Cristina even more than usual.

Cristina, still relishing her victory, waved him away. "No one's. Meredith has one." Her next statement was almost an afterthought. "You can have it if you want."

Now his eyes widened as if surprised. "Thank you, Cristina." She nodded before turning to look at the charts.

Meredith watched Burke gratefully sip the coffee and tried to restrain the urge to shake her head. She felt pity for him. He was probably trying to make the coffee more than what it was: just an extra cup with no other person who wanted it. Since the Joe's incident, a tentative peace had developed between Cristina and Burke, but by no means was it a friendship. It could not even be called an acquaintanceship. Coffee combined with the half-smile Cristina had given to him in yesterday's surgery was probably giving him all types of ideas.

Poor Burke…a cup of coffee from Cristina was all it took to excite him these days.


	19. Chapter 19

**Nineteen **

Lunch was another one of those times of the day that he spent with Preston. Derek had already grabbed his lunch and was waiting for Burke who was still in line. Preston had seemed particularly excited today. It was so strange to see especially after months of depression hidden by a serious, calm façade. He was curious as to the change. The nurses had nothing. Stevens had nothing. No one knew and that was the most interesting part of all.

Preston sat down at the table, a giant smile on his face. "Good afternoon, Derek."

"What's up? Why are you so happy? You better be careful Preston. You're going to ruin that stern heart man thing you have going on." Derek grinned.

Preston sighed. He sounded like a teenaged boy. "She smiled at me yesterday."

Cristina smiled at him. That was it, seriously? Two weeks since the Joe's incident and all Preston got was a smile? The man completely rejected some poor girl in front of her and he has to wait two weeks for a smile. Goddamn women. All of his engineering and manipulation had a rather pathetic result. Of course, he should be grateful. A smile from Cristina was not a smile from a normal woman. For Preston it was something to be treasured.

Derek needed to lower his expectations. Cristina had never fit the role of the normal woman. She did not react the same way or do the same things. He had failed to take that into account. This should be treated as a victory, as another step toward the ultimate goal. Now how to turn that smile into a kiss or if he was incredibly lucky into a relationship? Plans had to evolve after all.

"Of course, it was only a half-smile like one of those she used to give me when she was busy studying and I would bring her food, but she smiled at me."

After taking a bite of his sandwich, Derek said, "Congratulations." Preston nodded his thanks. The man seemed lost in reliving the moment. The power of a smile…

"Coffee. She gave me _coffee_ today."

Now what was the significance of coffee Derek wondered. That was certainly a larger step forward. She had voluntarily given him something, but if it was just a cup of coffee. Preston should not be this excited. Of course, he was practically incandescent with a smile, so being so happy with coffee was not a stretch. Still that emphasis on coffee hinted at something. Perhaps coffee was somehow significant to Cristina and Preston. Maybe it meant something.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. "So she's taken a few steps right? Why don't you do something?"

"You don't think it's too soon?" Preston looked worried.

" Cristina shouldn't do everything. I say go for it." The sooner Preston got to her, the sooner he could get to Meredith. The two of them had started fast once, why not again?

"I'll think about it."

"Alrighty then."

Later that day, Derek was working at the computers. His intern was nowhere to be found so he, an attending, would have to do his own post-op notes. It was ridiculous. What he needed was a nap, a good long nap in one of the on-call rooms before he fell asleep at the computer. Then again, maybe he should just get a bit more done. When he reached the halfway point he would go to the on-call room across the hall. Dammit, Cristina had walked in. Derek guessed that she was one to prefer privacy.

A few minutes later, Preston walked by. He seemed to be looking for Cristina. Derek saw him smile at seeing the on-call room shut. Apparently, Preston was psychic and knew she was in there. Preston pushed the door open and walked inside, closing it firmly. That would be a good place to talk to Cristina. Though there was the possibility that she would not want her sleep interrupted, but Derek had faith in Preston's abilities to charm her.

Roughly five minutes later, Preston walked out the door. It had not gone well. His shoulders were bowed and he moved in a very sharp manner. He turned around and attempted to open the door again, but it was to no avail. She had locked the door. Preston held onto the doorknob, desperately turning it for a few more minutes, but in the end he turned away. Then he looked Derek in the eye and that intense gaze worried him.

Preston was not happy with him.

"You told me to go to her. You told me it wasn't too soon." It was a harsh, scathing whisper.

"Now she hates me again." His voice cracked.

"What did you do?"

"I…I kissed her. It was all because of the coffee." He kissed her because of coffee, seriously? Most people blamed that on alcohol, drugs, lust, or love, but coffee was definitely one he had never heard before.

"What the hell does the coffee have to do with anything?"

Preston told him everything. It all started with coffee. Cristina had said thank you because Preston gave her coffee and that was the first time they slept together. That was their first. Oh god, no wonder it had seemed so important to Preston that she gave him coffee. She was even in the same on-call room. Derek realized that was the on-call room Preston had been sitting in the night after he left Cristina at the altar.

Who knew coffee could be so powerful?

"I went too hard, too fast again. I ruined it again." Derek was not sure he could comfort Preston right now.

"What did she say?"

"She told me to get out. That this time it really was just coffee. She pushed me away." The hurt and pain in the man's voice was so horrible.

"It really is over isn't it?"

Derek tried to smile encouragingly. "It's never over."

But later when he saw Cristina exit the on-call room…that look in her eyes made him wonder if he had lied to his friend.


	20. Chapter 20

**Twenty **

Meredith ran downstairs to answer the door. With this rain, she wondered who would even bother to visit anyone? It was that kind of torrential downpour that was always used in dramatic farewell scenes between couples who had a devastating, passionate romance in movies. Seriously, it was pouring outside. She opened the door and saw Cristina. Her hair was completely soaked. Had she not worn her helmet when she was riding the motorcycle? Cristina was shaking from the cold.

"What the hell are you trying to do to yourself Cristina? You're not even wearing a jacket." Meredith pulled her inside and started pulling off the flimsy jacket Cristina had on.

"If you get pneumonia, you're not going to be able to scrub in." She rushed Cristina into the living room and grabbed a blanket.

That look in her eyes was like horror mingled with sorrow. "What happened?"

Cristina stayed silent and started to interlace her fingers. "Could I borrow some clothes? I'm soaked."

Fine, Meredith thought, don't tell me. "Yeah, I'll get you some coffee too."

"Thank you."

Meredith came back with clothes and coffee in hand. "So if I withheld this stuff from you until you told me what happened, that would make me a bad person wouldn't it?"

Cristina almost smiled, but not quite. "Probably. I'd take it from you anyway."

"Dude, Yang you're getting water all over the couch." Alex walked down the stairs.

"Shut it, Evil Spawn."

"Oh, does the rain make Yang bitchier or is that just me?" He smirked and headed into the kitchen.

By the time, Cristina had finished changing, Alex had popped in one of her mother's surgical tapes. Of course, Cristina took this option instead of telling her what had happened. That was called avoidance. Avoidance was not healthy, not healthy at all. Then again this was a really good surgery and whatever happened could wait an hour or two…unless Cristina had been planning to tell her that she was being tailed by a crazy axe-wielding murderer, but for some reason Meredith guessed that was not it.

Meredith decided to try her luck again when they were cleaning up the living room. "Do I get to find out now?"

Cristina gave her a look. "Whatever. I can wait, not that I have a choice."

It was hours later when Cristina started telling her a story. However, it was not [Ithe[/I story. Just the same, this story was important. She had never guessed that was how everything between Cristina and Burke had started. The fact that Burke had initiated everything with that first cup of coffee surprised her. Burke breaking the rules for an intern was actually more interesting than Cristina's choice for a thank you.

Oh god, that cup of coffee today. No wonder he had reacted so strongly. Burke must have thought it was Cristina's way of telling him it was okay to try again, that they had hope again. Cristina still had not told her what had happened after that cup of coffee, and if she was right about his reaction then he might have tried to recreate it. Oh shit. This was not good. Not good at all, but maybe she was overreacting and over thinking everything. Maybe she should just let Cristina tell the story.

"He found me in the on-call room." Or maybe not. "I had just scrubbed in with Bailey and I was tired. I was sleeping when he came in."

The words tumbled out in stunted syllables as if in retelling what had happened, Cristina had found she could not. In the end she had too.

"He said thank you for the coffee and he kissed me."

He had kissed her. She was not ready for that. Burke should have learned the first time that moving too fast would doom the two of them again. Cristina sort of smiled at him and he jumps to the kiss. For the love of god, the man was impatient. Meredith could understand him though. He loved Cristina and had never stopped.

"What did you do?"

"I…I pushed him away. I yelled at him, told him to get out. That it was only coffee…that it didn't matter anymore."

"I told him we don't exist anymore."

"Were you telling the truth?" This here, this question would decide everything.

"I don't know."

"Okay."


	21. Chapter 21

**Twenty-One **

Back to square one…all his plans had come to absolutely nothing. In two days everything had become a recreation of their relationships after the wedding. No more smiles from Cristina. There was barely even acknowledgement of Preston's existence. Meredith had assumed correctly that Derek was the master manipulator of all these events and was now shunning him again.

Damn, damn, damn.

This new frostiness was killing Preston. Gone was that joyful teenager who had smiled and laughed. Yet neither was Preston stern or serious. The man was broken, bereft of any hope. Before there had always been that chance that someday he would find his way back into Cristina's arms, but now Preston believed that he had destroyed that little kernel of hope. He had no fight in him. His will to try had deserted him when he truly needed it.

Now Derek needed a new plan. He felt guilty. After all, he was the one who told Preston to go after her. Sure he had not meant for Preston to go that far, but it was too late to worry about that now. During the past two days, Derek had spent his time trying to formulate some ingenious strategy that would fix it all, but he was at a lost. What could he do now? Waiting was absolutely out of the question. He refused to ever traverse that route again. At this point, he wondered if he should try something incredibly frightening.

Maybe he needed to _talk_ to Cristina.

Derek considered the option for a few moments. It could not hurt to try. The worse that could happen was she would quit, but Derek doubted the Chief would let such a promising resident leave Seattle Grace. She had no more surgeries after four. That would probably be the best time to talk to her, assuming he could even convince her to come with him. He had to find a way to fix this.

For the past fifteen minutes, Derek had nonchalantly paced near the elevator. Cristina was late, but that had granted him time to shore himself up for the confrontation. From what Preston had told him, Derek knew Cristina hated talking. She hated revealing or sharing, but at this point he did not care. Not anymore. When she walked from the elevator he called her name, but received no response. Meredith must have told here.

Derek grabbed her arm. " Cristina, I need to talk to you."

She stared at him coldly. "You're touching me."

Right, there was that personal space thing. He released her. "You don't have any surgeries right now, right?"

"No."

"Then come with me." She reluctantly followed him into a recently discharged patient's room.

"What do you want?"

"Right to the point, aren't you?" Another glare. "Fine, I want to talk about Preston…about you and Preston."

"We are at work Dr. Shepherd. I would appreciate it if you could be a little more professional." She started to walk to the door.

"You're one to talk about professionalism. You're the intern who slept with her boss." Maybe provocation would help.

"And you are the married attending who slept with an intern."

"Seperated." Everyone always forgot that part.

She pulled the door open. "Whatever."

"You are breaking him."

Whirling around, she said, "He left me."

"He loves you."

"Well if that's love, tell him not to do me anymore favors." God, she was pissed.

"He's still trying. He still loves you. Why won't you admit that you still love him too?"

She came right up to him and looked him square in the eye. "I do not love Burke. I do not want to go back. What is it going to take to get that through your head, Shepherd? What is it going to take to get you out of my life?" Her voice was even yet unbelievably harsh.

"You once told me you were a liar, but I never thought you would lie about something that's right in front of your own eyes. You love him. Plain and simple."

"No." 

Fine he would humor her. "Okay, so explain the goddamn coffee."

"It's just coffee. Nothing more."

"Nothing more? Do you want to play that way,_ Cristina_? If that was just coffee, then…then…" He could think of some snappy retort.

She turned to leave again. "If it was just coffee, Cristina then tell me why did you give it to him at that same counter he gave it to you? Why were you in the same on-call room you were first together in? Why did you leave the door unlocked?" She froze.

"Why are you doing this to him? Why won't you take him back?"

The barrage of questions had unsettled her. She had lost some of that cool edge. Derek watched her fingers tremble just slightly on the doorknob. Her shoulders shook, and he had to restrain the urge to grin and gloat. He had found that chink in her armor. All he wanted was for her to admit the truth, to admit that she loved him.

"I'll tell you why you did all that. Because you love him. You love him so much, you can't even help it." She turned and looked at him. Those eyes told him everything he needed to know.

"So what you want a little revenge for what happened to you? Well you got it Cristina. The man is broken and you did it. Congratulations."

"No."

"Don't deny it. You did this to him. You couldn't let go of your damn grudge long enough to see what you're doing to him."

He had really hurt her this time. "You don't know anything Shepherd."

She walked out of the room, head held high, but Derek had regained ground and it certainly was not over.


	22. Chapter 22

**Twenty-Two **

When Meredith saw Cristina storm through the halls, she grew worried. Cristina had become increasingly upset and cranky since the incident in the on-call room. She was retreating back into that isolation and cold demeanor. Burke had tried to talk to her the day after and Cristina had completely blown him off. That was what the Cristina she first met would have done, not the Cristina she knew now. The worst part was Meredith did not know how to help her besides letting her be angry. Pushing Cristina always ended badly.

Meredith followed her. She was moving so quickly, not bothering to even say excuse me as she pushed through nurses, orderlies, and all the other people in the halls. After a minute or two, Meredith realized that Cristina's wandering actually had a purpose. It seemed that she was looking for someone. With the mood Cristina was in, Meredith pitied the poor person whoever they were. Receiving the full force of Cristina's anger would really, really suck. Maybe she could head Cristina off in time.

She rounded another corner, but had lost Cristina. This hall was empty. Meredith checked the other halls that connected to it, but Cristina was not angrily striding down any of those. That was weird. Maybe she had gone into one of the rooms. That was probably it. There was an on-call room right here. Cristina was probably cooling off inside instead of venting her irritation on someone else. Her hand was turning the door handle when she heard voices. Eavesdropping was a bad practice, but it could not hurt tojust listen to a bit of the conversation.

"You just can't let go can you Burke? I told you we didn't exist anymore. We are--"

" Cristina, I…" Cristina must have grabbed Burke from the hall or surprised him in the on-call room.

The two of them were not being particularly loud. Cristina was not a yeller. "I'm not done. We are over, but no you had to send Shepherd to try to convince me, huh?" Derek had talked to Cristina?

"I did not. Why would I—"

Meredith leaned in closer to the door. "He's your goddamn friend now isn't he? So you sent your dog to do your damn work and sniff me out? See if I still care? That's pathetic Burke." Cristina sounded so bitter. Derek must have really set her off.

"I never asked Derek to do anything. He just wants us to be happy." Meredith snorted.

"Like he gives a shit. He's obsessed with Meredith and always has been."

"He's a good friend."

She heard Cristina sigh heavily. " Burke, there's no us anymore so please stop trying."

"I love you."

"Irrelevant."

"The fact that I love you is not irrelevant. It means everything, Cristina."

"You didn't love me enough not to walk away, but now it's my turn." She was starting to move toward the door.

Meredith looked around. She needed an exit and fast. Pulling a door at random, Meredith burst inside. The family was startled to see her, but she smiled politely and told them she had the wrong room before pretending to check her notepad. When she was sure Cristina was gone, Meredith walked back out. The door to the on-call room was ajar. Burke was inside, head in his hands.

Cristina had destroyed his last hope. Meredith felt horrible for him, but it was after all Cristina's choice as it had been his on their wedding day. Changing Cristina's mind was like drilling through the skull. It had to be done carefully, and Derek had failed Burke miserably in that effort. Despite the fact that she was still slightly angry with Derek, she had to give him credit.

Too bad it was all over.


	23. Chapter 23

Derek was practically jumping for joy. He had won. Cristina did not just care, but she loved. Love defeated all obstacles; it was just a matter of time. It was not over. He would not have to give up and tell Preston that the cause was lost. Next time he saw him, Derek could tell Preston that she loved him. All those denials only proved it. Her eyes were all the proof he needed anyways. Derek was sure Preston would be rejuvenated and put all of his will into winning her back.

He was so sure.

"What did you do?" Each of the words were clipped as if Preston was having a problem just uttering those single syllables.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about Derek. You and Cristina…" When he said Cristina, the word was laced with bitterness, the name like a curse.

Derek was trying to play everything calmly. "I talked to her. Yes."

"What did you say?" How did Preston know…unless Cristina had confronted him. That would have been bad, very _very_ bad.

"I er…does it really matter Preston? I mean—"

"It matters."

"I just wanted her to admit that she still loved you. That was it. The plan wasn't moving and after all I've done—"

"Wait what plan? How dare you interfere in mine and Cristina's relationship?" He was furious.

"You belong together. You know that. I know that. Cristina needed to know that."

"It was not your place."

"You are my friend. I did what I had too."

"You had no right."

"Maybe not, but you weren't getting too far on your own, were you?"

That was uncalled for, and Derek knew it. Preston's burning gaze scared Derek. "I was just helping, Preston."

Preston turned around and started to walk away. He stopped at the door and said, "Does she?"

Derek smiled. "Yes, but she's afraid."

Preston nodded and walked away. Derek leaned against the wall. He had told the truth to Preston. She loved him. There was no way he could be wrong, absolutely no way. It was there like some elephant that followed her around. That huge elephant trundled along behind her everyday pretending to be invisible, but it was a damn elephant. Elephants do not stay invisible. They crash into things and generally make a mess. Derek had just quickened the process.

The plan was awry, but he could fix that. Maybe this time around Preston would actively participate, but they needed Meredith. She was on the inside. Her access to Cristina's innermost thoughts and feelings would help his operation. He needed Meredith to join them, but that would be a challenge. Currently, she hated him. If she had the opportunity she would probably push him into the Puget Sound herself. The original plan meant that she would come to him after Cristina and Preston got back together while he basked in victory.

There she was coming down the hall. " Meredith! I need to talk to you."


	24. Chapter 24

**Twenty-Four **

Meredith narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

"To talk to you? What harm can a little talking do?" A little talking, when had Derek ever restrained himself to a little talking?

"If this is about Cristina and Burke or the very, very nonexistent us, I'm not interested." After that stunt he pulled with Cristina, Derek had absolutely no right to even come within 500 yards of the subject. No freakin' right.

"Of course it's not. I'm hurt that you would even assume that." He seemed very convincing, but she was still wary.

He directed her toward the lounge and positioned himself near the door. That was suspicious. Meredith made a move to get up, just to test him, and he subtly blocked the door. Damn him! Not talking about Cristina and Burke or them…yeah right. Now she would have to listen to him go on and on about the power of love and all that bullshit. She could almost guarantee he would spout a few clichés and tacky metaphors before finally coming out with what he wanted to ask her. God, she did not want to do this.

"I talked to Cristina."

"I know." That surprised him. Score one for the former dirty mistress.

"Well, anyways I…er…needed to know about how Cristina feels about Preston. I think she still loves him so I want you too—"

"You have no right to interfere in their lives. What the hell are you thinking, Derek?"

"I told you. They belong together. As their friends, we should both help to make that happen."

"We? There is no we anymore. Besides your little plan after the coffee completely screwed them over. You shouldn't get involved."

"They're not going to do it themselves. They're too depressed or angry or cold or they have best friends who won't do a damn thing for them. Do you want Cristina to be miserable and cold for the rest of her life?"

How dare he assume, she did not care about Cristina! "Of course not, she can find happiness without Burke."

"She doesn't want happiness without him. She wants him and you know it Meredith. You know so stop the denials and the righteous indignation."

"He left her."

"Why are you two so stuck on that fact? That was one day in their relationship one—"

"Their wedding day is not just a day."

"So he screwed up, she froze on him in surgery."

" Derek that's a completely different whatever. He was shot for godsakes. You couldn't have expected her to handle that."

"I was there for him then and I will be now. I'm going to help him Meredith. Don't the two of them deserve happiness?"

The guilt trip was starting to piss her off. "Sure they deserve happiness. Everyone deserves something like that, but you know what life isn't fair? Because dads die and mothers die, and people break up! That is how life works." She was standing now, looking him directly in the eyes.

"We're surgeons. We save lives. Life is in our hands and now we can do the same for our friends."

"That's a major god complex Derek."

He sighed. "Everyday I see Preston cracking and breaking down and from what I saw with Cristina…it's just the same. They don't deserve this pain."

"No, but he doesn't deserve her anymore." She pushed him out of the way and walked out the door.

Half of what Derek had said would probably turn out to be complete crap, but she just had a feeling. He had got to her. Yet she knew he was right at least about the part where both Cristina and Burke were breaking down. It was completely true. Burke wore his pain more openly while Cristina hid it under layers of sarcasm and smart ass remarks. She knew Cristina was at peace, or at least had been prior to Derek talking to her. At the same time, however, she was not happy. So Meredith wanted confirmation from Cristina herself. Then, and only then, she would consider helping Derek in his little scheme because their friends did deserve happiness. The only question was if they deserved happiness together.

Later that night, Meredith drove to Cristina's apartment. She was using desperation to leave the youth hostel as her excuse. Cristina would buy it. It was pretty reasonable. After all, one could only deal with Izzie's reentrance into mourning for so long. Plus, the drunken parties she and George had were not helping whatsoever. Actually, Meredith needed this. She really did not want to stay at home tonight.

Meredith was proud of herself. She had played it completely cool the entire night. She was calm, talked generally about the hospital, and occasionally added a rant about the fact that her house was a youth hostel. Now Cristina seemed much more relaxed compared to earlier today when she had been yelling at Derek and at Burke. Cristina did not suspect a thing.

"So what's the real reason you're here?" Or maybe Meredith just sucked at hiding things.

"I'm hanging out with you."

Cristina gave her the look. "Fine. Derek talked to me today."

"Really?" Cristina's eyes had that impassive look that always freaked Meredith out. Shit.

"Yeah. He told me about that talk you guys had or whatever. How you still love Burke and everything."

"McNotsoDreamy is very delusional, you know that." She laughed, but it sounded so fake and wrong.

"Right, yeah. Of course." There was silence. "But…"

"But what Meredith?" She sounded defensive.

"Do you, you know…still whatever um Burke?" She wondered how Derek managed to ask Cristina.

Cristina turned away. "No I'm not whatever with Burke. You could try using words."

Fine, fine she would use goddamn words. "You love him, don't you?"

"So what if I do? Love's overrated."

"It's not a big deal if you do." She was lying and Cristina knew it.

"It doesn't matter. He left."

Oh, but it does matter a lot. "Right, like I said no big deal."

"Yeah whatever."


	25. Chapter 25

**Twenty-Five **

Meredith found him when he was walking into the hospital. She seemed a bit cranky and irritated. That must be a side affect of being with Cristina so much. They took the same elevator together. It brought up great memories, but now was not the time for nostalgia. If he was lucky Meredith would give him the answer he wanted today. Once she did, he could clue her in on the plan and restart it.

"So how are you?" His voice was calm and nonchalant as if they had never had a conversation yesterday.

" Fine, Derek. Can we cut the crap so I can go round?"

"What, no coffee yet?" She glared at him.

Boo, he missed teasing Meredith. "So what's did you find out?"

"Who said I found anything out? Maybe I just felt like having—"

"I thought we were cutting the crap." He gestured for them to walk into the on-call room.

"I still think he doesn't deserve her, not after what he did." He wanted her to move on from the protective best friend role.

"As is your right. But you know that she loves him anyway?"

"Love isn't that important."

"Of course it is. It makes the world go round." Weren't women supposed to be the romantics?

"So she does. What proof do you have that it will be enough for them?"

"How do you know it won't?"

"The failed wedding." Valid point.

"It will this time. I have a plan."

"Oh your plan's been working out so freakin' fantastic lately."

"I got you on my side didn't I?" That shut her up. "Happy friends, that's the end result."

She sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll help you, but no gloating, smirking, or whatever." Her face was twisted up in the prettiest way. It made him smile.

"You're smirking."

"I'm done. I'm done." He had won. He, Derek Shepherd, kicked ass. "What changed your mind? Was it my irresistible charm, my righteous quest, or you know the hair?"

She walked out of the room and slammed the door. "So we'll talk later," he called after her.

A wee bit touchy were we? Never mind, none of that mattered now. What mattered was that he had won, which meant Preston had won, which in turn would lead Meredith back to him. Life was a wonderful, beautiful thing. Derek could not resist grinning. He was sorely tempted to tell the entire hospital, but that would alert Cristina, which would be bad for the plan.

Oh, the sacrifices he made.


	26. Chapter 26

**Twenty Six **

"What were you talking to McDreamy about?" Izzie apparently had never gotten the memo about Derek's demoted status.

Cristina came up, two cups of coffee in hand. "Hey, why don't I get coffee," Izzie whined.

"You're already too perky and happy. I don't want to vomit my coffee." She turned to look at Meredith. "You were talking to Shepherd?"

"Uh…yeah." That was smooth, so very freakin' smooth. God, Cristina was bound to suspect something.

"What about?"

"Er…oh nothing. It wasn't a big deal. We were just talking with words and whatever." Again with her eloquence.

Cristina's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Right. So Meredith, what words did you use?"

"Oh, he just asked me to scrub in on a surgery because we need to talk or something. He just wants a chance to do that staring dreamily thing he used to do."

Cristina seemed to accept the explanation. Meredith almost sighed in relief, but realized that would give away her game, which would be, well, bad. Instead she tried to smile serenely, which made Cristina stare at her. She hurriedly dropped the smile and busied herself with the charts. Her death would be long and painful if Cristina found out what she was doing. Contrary to popular belief, Meredith was quite attached to her life. She had absolutely no interest in bath tubs or swims in the Puget Sound or taking a scalpel to the wrist. God, people were so presumptuous.

" Meredith? Meredith. Meredith!" Cristina whacked her on the shoulder with a chart.

"What, yeah?"

"Oh, no. You have a thing for him again, don't you?"

Now, Meredith knew she could let Cristina think this. It would be the perfect escape plan, but at the same time, it was just so…so…distasteful. Sure she would work with Derek, but that was for Cristina. Becoming his girlfriend again was completely out of the question.

"No, of course not. Cristina, god, I'm not that much of an idiot."

"Fine. If you want to deny your newly grown feelings, then go ahead."

"I. Do. Not. Love. Derek." This had to be clear.

"Good because if I have to hear you start on the McDreamy thing again, I'd strangle you and breaking in a new person is tiring." Good, she was off the topic.

"So any good surgeries today?" That should keep Cristina busy for a while she gloated about some fantastic surgery.

Every time she saw Derek during the day, he would give her these deep, meaningful looks followed by a wink. Seriously, yes, they were in on the same plan, but it would not stay a secret if he kept on staring at her like that. Besides she was getting to the point where she wanted to back out if only to not have to see him do that. Yet every time she considered that particular option, she would spot Burke or Cristina with their mutual brokenness, his heartbreaking hurt, and Cristina's cold exterior. Then she would abandon any idea of leaving, but questions stayed in her mind.

Would their plan work? Would love be enough? Could she and Cristina really get that second chance at their Princes of Surgery and their happily ever afters?

Meredith did not want the answers because she was afraid of them. She was afraid of the possibility of no, but to be honest she was even more afraid of getting a yes.


	27. Chapter 27

**Twenty-Seven **

In order to flesh out their little plan, he needed to get Preston, Meredith, and him all in the same place at the same time. That would be particularly difficult, considering the gossip that ran through the hospital had Meredith hating the both of them. Someone would definitely notice the three of them meeting up. Hmmm, this would require all of his mighty, mighty mental powers.

Five minutes later, he still had nothing.

Joe's was out of the question. Too many people from the hospital frequented the bar. There was the same problem with the Hotel Archfield. Where could they go where no one would bother them? Derek realized he was making everything far too complicated. They were all full-grown adults with their own homes. Meredith's house had people from the hospital, particularly loud-mouthed people. His trailer was cramped, but he doubted Meredith would want to return there. That left Preston's apartment. Problem solved.

Derek smiled. Before long, Preston would have Cristina back in his arms, and he would have his chance at Meredith. Now all he needed to do was inform Preston and Meredith of the plan. Of course, there was that problem where he had not yet informed Preston that he was still interfering in his life, but that was a minor detail. He could surprise Preston with that later. For the time being, he would just make the plans to go to Preston's house. It was actually quite logical, considering their last outing had been at Derek's trailer.

Telling Meredith would require some finesse. She spent so much time with her friends that all her other time was mainly devoted to the patients. His best bet would be to catch her in one of the halls. Maybe he could try the catwalk. Meredith usually walked around there after lunch. Perhaps he could slip her a note as a conversation would most likely be remarked upon by the various nurses.

Preston had agreed to the plan. He did not appear to be suspicious whatsoever of Derek's machinations. Derek just hoped that Preston would not hurt him when he found out about the intervention. It was all for his and Cristina's good. The two of them clearly could not get back together on their own. Tonight Derek would just discuss the finer details of his plan and tell Meredith what she needed to do. Everything was coming together now, and Preston's and Meredith's active involvement would speed up the process.

Later, when he saw Meredith coming up the stairs, Derek started on a path to intercept her. He bumped into her and slipped a note into her pocket. It was oh so very subtle or so he thought.

"Did you just give me a note? Derek, we're not in high school." There goes the secrecy.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He winked at her.

She turned around to face him. "Stop it with all the winking or whatever. It's freaking me out and it makes you look like you're having a seizure."

He did not look like he was having a seizure; he had a very fine wink thank you very much. "Just be there. We need to discuss our Super Secret…wait reunification doesn't start with an S. Meredith, what's a synonym for secret that starts with an R?"

She shook her head and walked away from him. Fine, he would look through a thesaurus himself.


	28. Chapter 28

**Twenty Eight **

What she was doing tonight was weird. Sure, on the surface, she was just visiting a colleague at his home. He was making dinner for her and another one of their colleagues. Then again this colleague just happened to be the guy who left her person at the altar, and he was her boss and teacher. To make matters even more interesting, the other colleague who happened to be her ex-boyfriend had convinced her to engage in this crazy wild plan, to get the original colleague and her person back together.

That was not weird at all.

The apartment building was only a block away from Cristina's apartment which was interesting. It was a very solid building, very Burke-like in its tallness and straightness. Yet when Meredith thought about it, it would have been rather odd if the building leaned. A doorman waved her in. His apartment was 5C. Meredith could not help, but hesitate before knocking. Here she was just standing outside the green door unable to raise her hand to know. What, she wondered, had caused this burst of paralysis? Suddenly, Derek pulled open the door.

Now, the opening of the door without her ever knocking was creepy and strange.

He pulled her inside. The smell of cooking greeted her at the door, and she inhaled deeply. Meredith could not even remember the last time she had a home-cooked meal. Burke had not noticed her yet. That was strange; usually, Burke, being a gentleman, would have been the one to welcome her into his humble abode or whatever. She was about to say hi to Burke when Derek shushed her. What the hell? Wait, did Burke not know she was coming. She would kill Derek. Seriously, kill him. Cristina would help her bury him on his land.

Derek pushed her behind a wall so she was hidden from the kitchen. "Why won't you let me say hi to Burke?"

"He doesn't know you're here or that you're coming." Derek tried to grin nonchalantly.

"So you just invited me to his apartment without telling him?" Way to go Derek really.

"Yeah, well, yes. So I need you to go back outside so I can tell him."

"Why did you open the door then?"

"I thought you were going to knock."

Derek peeked around the corner, checking to see if Burke was paying attention. When he was satisfied, he rushed Meredith back out the door and shut it softly. She wondered how long she would have to wait out here. Their voices were muffled from within. Derek was probably trying to use his "charm" on Burke, which would probably fail. Maybe she should just leave. After a few more minutes, Meredith turned to the elevators, but before she could walk further, Derek opened the door. Burke was back in the kitchen. He seemed a bit angry, but dealing with Derek generally gave one that look. Ever the gracious host, he greeted her and handed her a glass of wine.

The first time Meredith had been in the apartment, she had not had the time to really look around. It was very organized, but nothing near the immaculate his old apartment had been. The coffee table had a few books piled haphazardly on it. The coasters looked dusty and unused. A little disorder had apparently crept into Burke's life and stayed there. Inside the bedroom she could see the bed was unmade. Burke was not being perfectly OCD clean. Wow, Cristina had really gotten to him.

Meredith knew it was the same at Cristina's. Her books, though not organized in the Dewey Decimal System, were actually on shelves. There was less clutter around the apartment. It could not compare to Burke's apartment, of course, but still. Cristina was semi-clean. She was even using coasters. Okay, most of the time she forgot, but still she used coasters!

Violin music floated through the apartment. Was this the Eugene Foote CDs that he had taken with him? That reminded Meredith that she should not get to like Burke too much. She had to remember that he had left Cristina and he should be treated accordingly. Her smile became a frosty one. Derek noticed and frowned, but he did nothing to stop her. Not that he could have stopped her if he tried.

Dinner was spent in companionable silence, occasionally interrupted by hospital talk. Derek seemed to have no need to broach the Cristina/Burke thing while eating. Neither did Burke. At least it was not awkward. If Meredith actually believed in God she would be thanking her right now. Awkwardness really sucked. She hated it with such a passion.

When they were done and Burke had cleared away the dishes, Derek said, "So it's new plan time." He looked around. "Any ideas?"

Burke looked down, clearly a bit angry with Derek. Meredith did not bother to respond.

"I guess not. How about we work with that jealous rage thing? I'm sure Meredith is capable of stopping Cristina from murdering whoever we use."

"No." No way would that work with Cristina, Meredith thought.

"Why not? Last time she gave Preston coffee."

Meredith was sure of this. "It didn't mean anything."

"Right, of course it didn't mean anything. It was just coffee."

"Yeah it was _just_ coffee." Okay, Meredith understood the coffee thing, but she knew Cristina and she knew that she was telling the truth about the coffee Cristina gave to Burke.

"You know that's not true."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not," she retorted, well aware of how childish they sounded. Whatever, she was going to win.

Derek pouted. "Yes."

"Now that we've decided you two are going to interfere in my life, I don't even get a say in it?" Burke had an amused smile. So he was amused by her and Derek? Har-dee-har-har Burke.

"I will not date another woman." In a softer voice he said, "She's the last woman I'll ever be with."

How was she supposed to be righteous best friend angry with Burke if he spent all his time saying things like that?

"Fine. We won't go with my idea. Let's see you two come up with something better." Oh, little boy was starting to pout. God, she could not remember why she had actually loved him.

"Bur-uh Pres….um anyways I think you should wait."

Derek seemed positively insulted which was all for the better."We already waited. He's not doing that again."

"He thinks that he can speak for himself." Derek looked apologetic.

"Not for too long, but right now she is very, very angry and Cristina doesn't forgive easily." Burke nodded. "Then you start chasing after her, doing whatever you guys liked to do, but for the love of god no elevators, no on-call rooms- no awkward uncomfortable dates."

"Elevators worked with you."

"Yeah, well Cristina has better taste than I do." Burke laughed at what she said.

"Just take it slow. She doesn't even know if she wants you back. I don't know if this will even work, but you can try or whatever."

"Thank you Meredith."


	29. Chapter 29

**_Again thank you for the reviews everyone. _  
**

**Twenty-Nine **

"So did you do anything on the Cristina front today?" Derek asked.

Preston would shake his head and ruefully smile.

"Well, maybe tomorrow then."

They had this same conversation at the end of every single day. Derek would always say the same thing with the occasional brilliant variation: anything happen with you and Cristina? Preston as always would shake his head or say no. Once the days turned into weeks, a feeling of hopelessness crept in, followed by the stagnation that Derek remembered from before. It was killing him, truly killing him to watch from the sidelines and wait for that first interaction, that first sign that they were actually going to find each other again. At some point, Derek did not really remember when, he stopped asking everyday. It became every other day, but in the end he still got the same answer.

He wanted to yell at Preston to make a move, to do something. There was this dramatic, soul-inspiring speech brewing in the back of his mind. It was the kind of stuff that the speakers who visited conventions said. Still, Derek realized that Preston was in this now and no matter what he said; Preston would take his own sweet time. The fact that Preston had taken Meredith's advice on waiting irritated Derek, just slightly of course. Derek had been in this from the beginning, and now he was benched.

Preston was leaning on the catwalk railing when Derek arrived. He might as well go through the ritual. "Anything happen with you and Cristina today?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe, tomorr-wait, what?" He had been so tuned to Preston's usual response that he had completely ignored him.

Preston smiled. "Something happened."

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Sure."

There was silence for a few minutes. "Hear that? That was your cue to tell the story." It was then, that Derek realized he was far too caught up in Preston and Cristina's love life.

Oh well.

"We had an early morning surgery today." Derek nodded to quicken Preston's pace. God, the man knew how to drag out his words.

"She smiled at me and we joked." This had all happened before hadn't it? Maybe Derek was dreaming and the next thing he knew, Preston would be coming out of the on-call room, saying Cristina hated him.

"I brought her coffee and she accepted it." So this was one of those dreams where he knew he was dreaming. That had not happened in a while.

"Wait, let me stop you there. Then you guys went to an on-call room right?" Derek felt he should actively participate in the dream. After all, it might makes things a little more interesting.

Preston looked extremely confused. "Why would we do that?"

"That's what happens after coffee right?"

Again with the odd look. " No, Derek. Are you feeling okay?"

Hmm, interesting. He had not been expecting that, but then again it was a dream after all.

"Well, considering I'm sleeping, I think I'm just fine and dandy. How about you?"

Now, Preston looked concerned. "You're awake. This is not a dream."

Maybe he should have tried the pinching test before going on about the dream thing. Ow! Yeah, definitely not a dream.

"Okay, so I'm not dreaming. That's not really the point. How about finishing the story?"

"Right. Maybe you should go to an on-call room." He paused, grinning. "It's a progression. She accepted coffee from me. They'll be at Joe's tonight. Maybe she'll let me buy her a drink."

The process, this goddamn process, would destroy him. One event a week would not suffice whatsoever. Hopefully, he could find a way to speed it all up.

But how?


	30. Chapter 30

**Thirty **

She had scrubbed in on a surgery with Bailey today and did fantastic. All the answers to the questions popped into her head before Bailey even asked her. Her hands were sure and smooth. As the perfect end to a great day, she was at Joe's, which equaled tequila, vodka, and plenty of other alcohol. Definitely a good day, she thought as she grabbed another round for her, Cristina, Alex, and Izzie. George was out with Callie tonight or something along those lines. It was too bad; he was pretty funny when he got drunk, though she certainly would not miss his karaoke "skills."

Meredith made her way through the crowd. For once, she actually managed not to slosh anything on anyone else or even better yet herself. Of course, that may be because she was not really drunk yet, but she would take the victories when she could. When she made it to the table and had plopped their drinks down, she saw Burke and Derek walk into the bar. Oh right, she had mentioned to Burke that they would be here tonight. Honestly, she had not even thought he would have had the nerve to come. After all, she'd been mentioning Cristina's various engagements for weeks now.

She turned back to the table and listened to Izzie talk about some patient's family. Why in the world did she talk to her patients so much? Izzie could practically write their life stories given the time. It was so strange compared to everyone else, but then again this was the girl who fell in love and got engaged with her patient. This probably seemed perfectly normal in Izzie's boundary-blind eyes.

Cristina had yet to notice either of their former men. She was far too busy snarking at Izzie and her tales about that adorable two-year old Johnny. Was Burke a jealous man? There were a few men around the bar eyeing Cristina, and Meredith wondered if they would be banned from Joe's if Burke started fighting some other guy. Being banned from Joe's would really suck. She'd have to find a new bar to break in. Plus, there would be a new pool of guys and that combined with her tequila habit would probably not work out well.

In a quick gulp, Meredith downed her drink. The others were ready for another round so she volunteered to go order their drinks. Burke and Derek were sitting at the counter, which would give her the perfect opportunity to be all subtly informative.

"Hey!" The sound of the crowd almost overwhelmed her voice.

"Is she already here?"

"Yeah, over there." Meredith tried to be very spy-like and simply look over in the table's direction. That failed miserably. She finally had to resort to actual pointing.

Burke seemed nervous, so different than his usual calm, steady self. Meredith almost expected him to whip out a mirror and check his hair. Then again, he could not really change his hair. It was a bit too short for that. Maybe he would just check his teeth in the mirror or see if his eyes were intense enough. Anyways, back to the point, Burke was nervous.

"Let me help you carry those drinks," he said.

Instead of waiting for her reply, he just grabbed two from her. He must have known the vodka was Cristina's. As he strode through the crowd, Meredith realized it was actually very useful to have a tall guy walking in front of you. Her skinny, or slender as she liked to put it, barely nudged people out of the way, but Burke and his imposing presence cleared an entire aisle. This was nice. She should walk behind Burke more often.

Meredith passed the other drink to Alex. Izzie looked completely surprised, her eyebrows raised. She opened her mouth, no doubt to say something stupid or something that would make the situation more awkward. Then she jumped. Had Alex kicked her from under the table? Cristina had been talking animatedly when they arrived. Burke stood behind her while he gave Izzie her drink.

" Meredith, where's mine?" Alex pointed behind her.

She turned around and flinched when she saw Burke. "I was helping Meredith carry the drinks over here."

Cristina nodded before reaching out. Her fingers brushed his just slightly. She smiled and said, "Thank you… Burke."

"You're welcome." He practically fled the scene, disappearing in the crowd.

Poor Burke. That was probably the first time he had touched her in who knows how long.


	31. Chapter 31

**Thirty-One **

"Did she take the drink?" Preston was smiling, but at the same time he seemed nervous, almost jittery.

"So she took the drink, that's good right?"

No response. "I'm going to assume you're happy, so you sit here reliving that moment of yours while I get some scotch."

Derek tried to surreptitiously glance over at the table. Cristina had twisted in her chair to look at Preston. She seemed to be contemplating what he had done. Her eyes traveled back and forth across the room a s if to check for anyone watching her. He turned away and waited for a few seconds before returning to watching her. The moment was gone. No longer was she looking at Preston. Still a look, and obviously a voluntary one, was progress.

Teenager Preston was back. Apparently, he was extremely excited that Cristina had brushed her fingers against him. Derek needed to raise his standards because honestly, finger-to-finger touching was not something to rejoice at. Sure, steps were fantastic, but still man get some dignity. It was her goddamn fingertips. Preston would probably be satisfied for weeks, and that would get them nowhere in their operation. He would let him enjoy this feeling for another hour, two at most, but after that it was back on track. Derek hoped that when his turn came around; he would not turn out like this.

In all likelihood, however, he probably would. Damn women.

Even with his efforts to bring him down to a normal level, Preston remained completely happy for days. Derek had tried, really tried to be a downer and provoke him into more action. Instead of listening to him, Preston would get this far-off look and daydream. The man was probably planning the wedding already in his head, which was just well pathetic. He needed to focus on the task at hand because if he did not Cristina could just revert. Meredith was not any help either. She seemed to think this was quite satisfactory.

He found Preston examining charts in the cafeteria. "So you do anything on the Cristina front today?"

Preston shook his head and sipped from his coffee nonchalantly. No! This complacency was even worse than his despair. In this state, Preston might do nothing more for weeks, maybe even months. Derek could not take that torture. He would not stand for that.

"Maybe you should get her flowers. Women love flowers."

" Cristina does not like flowers. She can't be bothered to take care of them."

"How about jewelry, though it may be a bit early for that."

"I'm doing this at my own pace. Be patient, Derek."

"But…but…" He needed something to pull Preston out of his serene view. " Meredith said she's tired of waiting."

Bald-faced lies could not hurt that much right?

"She did?"

"She told me earlier today." Preston looked at him closely.

"You should do something. Maybe invite her to scrub in on that Humpty Dumpty you're doing tomorrow." Surgery had to be the way to Cristina's heart.

"She's already in."

"Then loan her a medical journal. She lives medicine."

Preston seemed to consider the idea for a moment, which was better than anything so far. Really, when Derek thought about it, it was not that bad of an idea. After all, Cristina had declared her specialty. It would only make sense for Preston to teach her. Perhaps poring over medical journals late at night would awaken Preston. Then maybe they would progress further and Preston would get a kiss where she actually kissed him back. And then maybe…wait this was starting to sound like some B-movie.

Whatever happened, it would need to move faster before Derek just locked the two of them in a room.


	32. Chapter 32

**Thirty-Two **

Meredith needed to decide her specialty. Seriously, she really had to do it soon. Everyone else was declaring and being decisive. She was not exactly a figure known for her decisiveness and fast decision-making skills, at least not when it came to her own life. Cristina had picked cardio. That was an obvious choice. After all, she already knew so many surgical techniques anyway. George had gone with cardio as well, but seemed to be wavering. Alex had picked neonatal which was surprising considering, he was Alex, Mr. Evil Spawn himself. His months being Addison's one and only intern must have helped, but still Alex handling other people's children freaked Meredith out. Izzie had taken pediatric surgery.

It was just her now who had not decided. Bailey was watching her carefully, as was the Chief. She was torn between general surgery and neuro. If she went with neuro, she would immediately have to start learning in that department. The requirement was one year general, four years of neurosurgery training. That meant she would have to work with Derek which would be bundles of fun if she became a masochist. General surgery had its own consequences. Everyone would assume she following in her mother's footsteps, trying to be the next Ellis Grey. Basically, either way she was screwed.

So instead of making a decision like a mature adult, she decided to go to Cristina's apartment with alcohol. Maybe Cristina could decide her life for her. She would probably do a good job of it. The alcohol probably would throw her reasoning skills off so Meredith's plan was to have Cristina decide her life then get drunk. Meredith ransacked through her purse, trying to find her key. Damn, she must have left it at home. She knocked on the door.

Burke opened it.

"Holy- I mean hi Dr. Burke."

"Hello Meredith. I thought you were the Chinese."

Cristina pulled the door all the way open. She was trying to ask Cristina what the hell Burke was doing here through their person connection. Meredith knew Burke had made progress, but getting into the apartment and ordering food in[Itogether[/I? That was so un-freakin-believable. Again she tried to send that how about some explaining message. Unfortunately, the connection seemed to be a bit slow as the three of them stood in the open doorway for a few minutes without a word.

"Come in, Meredith. Burke was going over some procedures with me."

Right, procedures, of course. That was a perfectly logical explanation. He was her teacher; in fact, he was their former teacher's teacher to boot. Any good and generous teacher would come over to a student's house at night and help them with procedures. Was that not what all teachers did? Seriously it was so plausible except that this stuff did not usually happen when the teacher was the student's former fiancé. But, you know, plausible right?

Procedures, her skinny ass.

There were various medical journals piled on the table. Two coffee mugs were placed neatly on coasters. The chairs were pushed closer together, to better the studying atmosphere she supposed. Oh my god, it was all real. The entire thing was totally happening. Burke and Cristina were in the same room and probably had been for a couple hours. Cristina did not look guilty or embarrassed, so Meredith was sure nothing physical had gone on, but still this was big, and by big she meant freakin' huge.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Cristina's voice was calm, no emotion registering. Damn her and her self-control.

"Uh, what did I come here for?" The thought seemed to have escaped her because she was watching Burke get coffee in a kitchen that used to be his, but was now not his.

"Oh, um…my specialty. Advice from you would be nice." Her words came out one by one. She was still processing the image of Burke in Cristina's apartment.

Burke turned to her. "What are you considering?"

"General, neuro…I've narrowed it down to that."

Someone knocked on the door. "Well, we can discuss it over dinner."

He was acting like this was normal. Cristina was acting like this was normal. Was she the only one who was completely surprised and weirded out by everything? Her reaction was normal, right? They were the odd ones, with their normalness and their calm.

During dinner, Burke actually gave her helpful advice on choosing a specialty. She had to go with her gut, not her head. Focusing on his words blocked out the surreal experience of sitting here with two ex-lovers. So she listened to him and to Cristina talk about the surgery they did today while she ate her noodles.

"Of course, I was always a heart man." Burke had been telling the story of how he decided to enter cardiothoracics.

Cristina flinched at the words. Heart man…she remembered those words from somewhere. It took her a few moments until she realized the significance. He had said I'm a heart man in his vows, the vows he was supposed to say to Cristina. Burke noticed his slip and abruptly changed subject to the food. Cristina's eyes had darkened almost imperceptibly, the mask falling into place.

After they had cleared away the plates and returned to the medical journals, a lively discussion began. For the first time in the entire evening, Meredith was comfortable. She was still aware in the back of her mind of the situation, but she could ignore it. Here she sat talking about surgery with Burke and Cristina as if they had been friends for years, friends with no emotional baggage or issues. Wow, they were quite incredible at keeping the awkwardness at bay.

A half hour later, Burke checked his watch. He had to leave and get home. Why was he leaving so early when he was only a block away? Cristina did not know that, but she did. Perhaps this extreme control he had been exerting was becoming too much. Meredith had noticed his eyes lingering on Cristina, watching her the way a man in love watches the woman he loves.

Burke grabbed his jacket and walked to the door. Cristina followed him as Meredith waved goodbye. He said goodbye to Cristina and opened the door. Before he left, he grabbed Cristina's arm gently and said something inaudible before he closed the door. She stood their for a moment, as if absorbing the evening into herself. He had touched her. If Derek knew he would probably do a little victory dance.

"So he was going over procedures with you?"

"Yeah, I'm scrubbing in on a few of his surgeries next week."

"He came over here to your apartment to help you study?"

Cristina had stopped looking her in the eye. "Yeah, whatever."

"And that was his only motive, helping you study, right?"

"Shut it."

"It was very nice of him to study with you Cristina. He is one of the most renowned cardiothoracic surgeons in the whole world. Really, anyone should be honored." Provoking Cristina had always been her best bet to getting answers fast.

" Meredith…"

"I'll stop when you tell me why he's so comfortable here."

"It's his old apartment."

"That's not the reason why and you know it Cristina."

"This isn't the first time we've discussed surgery." And the truth comes out.

"Now wasn't that liberating and everything?"

"Shut up. We just had coffee once or twice. No big deal." She emphasized the last three words.

"I'm not making a big deal out of it."

"Then stop asking the questions."

"Fine."

"Fine."


	33. Chapter 33

Maybe Preston and Cristina had a good point about coffee. It was such a wonderful, tasty, rejuvenating drink. After a night like last night when the trailer almost tipped over, coffee was a close second to Meredith. Seriously, it tasted that good. Unfortunately, Derek had never been the best when it came to moderation. He was almost done with his second cup when he headed back to the coffee cart.

Meredith intercepted him. "Did you know about this?"

"About what? About the fact that the coffee cart is five feet away and you're blocking me?" He sidestepped, and she blocked him again.

"About Burke and Cristina."

"They are two of our friends who are currently separated. Now if you'll excuse me, I can smell the coffee." Why would she not move?

"You really don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

He had already started to tune her out. "They've been meeting for coffee to talk about surgery. Yesterday Burke was in her apartment."

"That's fantastic and all, Meredith, but I really need some coffee. Let me get some and we can discuss."

"Are you listening?"

"No." Oh, the tantalizing coffee was in arm's reach.

Meredith relented and let him get his coffee. That was very good of her. Maybe he would let her scrub in.

" Burke and Cristina in her apartment. Alone, until I came anyway. Plus they've gone to coffee together before. He touched her and she let him." She pronounced her statement as if it was the most profound, most amazing thing to ever occur in the history of humanity.

Mmmmm, coffee…wait what? Them alone in the same room at her apartment? This was huge. This was monumental. Preston had made major progress. He had not mentioned coffee dates. That would have to be rectified. Derek needed to be in the know. Knowledge secondhand from others was not good enough.

"They were alone. Wow…"

"Yeah, wow. I thought you hadn't bothered to tell me. Well, now that you know, I have to get to a surgery."

"Wait, I want details."

"No such luck, Derek."

This must be punishment for his coffee yearnings. The coffee was right there. It was not his fault it had been so distracting. Meredith's tendency to ramble usually covered him if he tuned out for a bit. Therefore this was not his fault. Meredith chose to actually speak in coherent, declarative sentences.

Evil woman. Evil, evil, evil. She had stopped him from getting his coffee and now she would not tell him what had happened. That was not playing fair. Preston was not even in today. The man was probably celebrating. How was he supposed to talk to him now? Derek sat there sulking for nearly five minutes before he realized he had a phone. Phones are used to contact people. This was why he needed more coffee. Of course, there was no answer. Why should anyone bother filling him in the details of their lives, especially when he had helped them?

Maybe more coffee would make him feel better.


	34. Chapter 34

**Thirty-Four **

Joe's was already crowded with what looked like the entire hospital staff crammed into tables, standing by the bar, or just mingling. God, they were all lushes. It was 9:30 people on a_ Tuesday_ night. You should be saving lives! Of course, Meredith was here at 9:30, but everyone already thought she was a raging alcoholic so no big deal. It was a bit early for her and Cristina's usual meeting, but Izzie was watching chick flicks and crying all over her couch. Anywhere was better than that.

Meredith hoped that she would be able to secure their table in this crowd. Damn, someone was already sitting there. If it was an intern she would tell them off. Interns do not get to use her table. She tried to get closer to see who it was. Wait, that was Cristina and Burke. Cristina and Burke were openly together at Joe's. They were sitting at the same table talking in front of everyone from the hospital. Now that she looked around, she did notice a lot of eyes trained in their direction.

It would be another half hour before Meredith and Cristina's usual Joe's night. She could observe them. Pushing her way to the bar, Meredith found a seat by Alex. He was downing a beer, but he turned to watch the spectacle as well. There were already bets floating around in the crowd. Some idiots thought the two of them were going to have mad, passionate sex in the middle of the bar. Hmmm, Meredith did not know that crack dealers came to Joe's. Others were betting that the cruel and evil Cristina Yang was toying with Burke, intending to humiliate them. That one was actually more valid, but Meredith knew she would not do that in front of everyone.

"So Yang and Burke…they're back together?" Alex seemed curious. That was…odd.

"No…not yet at least. I don't think so anyways." After she ordered, she said, "Besides why do you care?"

He looked completely offended. "I think it's all the work on the gynie squad. It's poisoning me, making me care about chick things."

She grinned, stifling a laugh. "Yeah, okay. Blame it on that Alex." 

"I am a guy. I'm curious and bored. I am not turning into a chick." He seemed so adamant.

"Right, of course. Next thing I'll see you helping a patient pick out baby clothes or whatever." He blanched. "Oh my god." Meredith burst into laughter.

Back to focusing, she could tease Alex anytime. He did live in her house after all. Ten minutes left until ten, but nothing more significant than talking. Cristina had to know the hospital was watching her, that they were placing bets on her. If this was someone else, Cristina would be betting right along with them. She had to know. So if she did, what was the game? Why were she and Burke meeting in such an obvious, public place? There had to be logic behind this.

Cristina was declaring something to all of them. She had to be. In showing all of those speculators and gossipers what was actually going on, she was making it real. By the morning…wait, who was Meredith kidding, by midnight at the latest the entire hospital would know that there was something there again. Maybe Burke was in on it too. Maybe this was their fresh start. This time everyone would know and nothing would be hidden.

Or she could be full of crap, but she had ten minutes. What else was she supposed to do?

A few minutes later, Burke pulled his jacket off the back of the chair and stood up. Three minutes to ten. That was nice of him. Meredith started walking to the table, hoping to catch the last bit of their conversation. He grabbed Cristina's hand and held it as he leaned in to say something to her. With the noise and all the talking, Meredith could not catch what he said, but she guessed it was a goodbye. Then he kissed her on the cheek.

He kissed her cheek! Oh my god, she had this strange urge to say awww and jump up and down girlishly. The entire bar was abuzz and Meredith stood frozen. Had that seriously happened? Burke had kissed Cristina on the cheek right? That was not some delusional hallucination she had come up with daydreaming at the bar right? It had to be real; everyone was talking about it. The fact that Cristina had this sort of smirk on her face had to confirm it. She knew their reaction and she was secretly enjoying it.

Burke had kissed Cristina on the cheek in front of the entire bar. They were getting back together. Meredith had always had doubt in her mind, but this, this thing that had just happened meant something. They had a chance.

Maybe love was worth something after all.

_For the record Meredith still goes with general as she is still uncomfortable._


	35. Chapter 35

**Thirty-Five **

That was two. Two events he had missed. Goddammit. It was completely unfair. Meredith, who had not even been involved in the beginning, got to see everything. She saw them at Cristina's apartment together, and while Derek could not think of one sane reason for him to visit Cristina at her apartment, it was the principle of the matter that was important. Who had blocked all of his and Preston's attempts? That's right; it was Meredith. Yet despite her righteous, protective best friend crap, she got to see the kiss on the cheek too. It was not just her either. The entire goddamn hospital saw that kiss on the cheek except him.

God must hate him.

Meredith had laughed it all off, saying he was insane and paranoid. Derek was not insane. There was a conspiracy against him. Its sole goal was to stop him from viewing his accomplishment. Were they judging him for his motives? Okay, so he had started out just wanting to get the two of them back together so he could win Meredith, but he had helped Preston. He had talked to Cristina. His efforts had earned Preston his place in Cristina's arms.

To thwart the almighty powers set against him, Derek started to follow Preston and Cristina. Whenever he got out of surgery, he would find one of them and tail them around the hospital. After he got out of work, he would wait outside until one of them left. Yes, he was quite aware stalking was illegal, but he was not stalking them per se. He was recording the events of his triumph and to do so he had to witness said events. The secondhand stories he heard from Meredith or Preston would not satisfy his need.

For over a week, Derek relentlessly pursued Cristina and Burke, individually, together whatever. He had come up with absolutely nothing. Sure, there had been handholds and kisses on the cheek, but someone had already seen that. Those were not the firsts. They were the I'm already comfortable with this seconds, thirds, and who knows how many. Every spare moment of his time, he followed them, but they were so tame where he could follow them. With the new weather, Preston had somehow coaxed Cristina to the park where they would study, but of course before Derek they would be disgustingly chaste.

Today he was following Cristina. She had left for lunch, presumably to meet Preston or so Derek hoped. Most of her friends were in surgery or stuck in the clinic, and she must have had extra time. Derek buttoned down his coat and followed about fifty feet behind her. The crowds must have been enough to block him from view because she did not seem suspicious at all. Perfect, it was all coming together now.

Cristina walked into the doorway of a building. That was strange. It was an apartment building, but certainly not Preston's or hers. What if she was meeting another man? Was this his punishment for stalking people? Derek hurried forward, pushing his way through the crowd. Hopefully, she had not already walked in. Then Derek saw her talking on her cell. She must have ducked in to escape the noise of the pedestrians. Maybe Meredith was right. He was becoming paranoid. See this is what being absent during the development of the relationship did to him.

Derek tried to slow down. His stalking plan would be ruined if Cristina spotted him. There was probably something in the Stalker's Handbook that frowned on that. Unfortunately, the pull of the crowd was too much and he was propelled forward. She looked up, and he knew she had spotted him. Shit. Cristina did not look happy, and he, after all this time, was still a little afraid of Cristina. He bet that she could take him if she wanted too. Her eyes narrowed. Oh, he was so screwed now.

He ducked into the doorway to meet his fate. "Hello Cristina! Funny to see you here. How are you?" His voice was bright and cheery.

And she saw through it. "Were you following me?"

"Of course not. We just happened to be taking the same path through Seattle. You know what they say about great minds thinking alike."

"Okay." He breathed a sigh of relief. "So where were you going?"

He scanned the area. "There's that Starbucks right there. I just wanted some coffee."

"We have coffee at the hospital." Good point.

"I was craving Starbucks?"

"So you were following me. Don't you usually stalk Meredith? If you're starting on me I'd appreciate you letting me know, so I can stop using the elevators."

"I wasn't following you." He tried to sound adamant.

"Right and that wasn't you last night or Monday morning either." He thought he had been sneaky. Damn.

"Er…um I have an evil twin who was still blessed with wonderful hair?"

"Says the man with four sisters."

"Fine. I give."

"Wise choice. Stop following me and Burke. I don't think he's figured out that it's you yet and I think Mere— he would be upset if he gave you a trumpet case to the face."

Derek stood there sputtering for a moment. Cristina took that as his assent and walked back into the crowd. Within a minute, she had disappeared in the lunch rush. Wait, she had said Mere. She had not caught herself in time. God, he had been so obsessed with getting Preston and Cristina together; he had completely forgotten about him and Meredith. Hope for Preston and Cristina gave him and Meredith a chance. Still, he should follow through. This was the third time he was chasing Meredith, and she would be much harder to crack. It would probably take Preston and Cristina at the altar before he could have Meredith back.


	36. Chapter 36

**Thirty-Six **

Crap! Meredith had left that medical journal at Cristina's. She needed it for a surgery tomorrow. Bailey would kill her if she was not prepared. Piling all of her stuff back into her locker, Meredith grabbed her car keys. A quick stop at Cristina's and then she could go home and study. That was the plan. The drive over there was quick. There had barely been any traffic.

She waved hello to the doorman before taking the elevator up. Fumbling with her purse, Meredith searched for her key. Attaching that key to her key chain would have been smart. After nearly two minutes of searching, Meredith found the key. It had been tucked into one of those zippered compartments in her purse that she never looked at or used. The door opened easily, quietly and Meredith looked down at her purse, trying to find a new place to put it where she would remember. Then she looked up.

Oh my god.

Burke and Cristina were kissing on the couch. Of my freakin' god. There were medical journals and textbooks spread around them. Study sessions, huh Cristina? Meredith started to slowly back away, desperately attempting to be completely silent. They had not even noticed her which really was not that surprising considering how much they were going at it. She heard Cristina moan and practically jumped out of her skin. This was weird and wrong. Meredith had to get out of here. They suddenly pulled apart, gasping. Oh shit, she was screwed now.

Burke leaned his forehead against Cristina, his eyes still closed. "I never stopped loving you."

Meredith stood transfixed. It was just so sweet.

Cristina let out a long sigh. "I know." She kissed him. Meredith fled from the apartment.

She must have pressed the down button on the elevator a million times before the doors finally opened. Thank god, it was empty because Meredith was not sure how she would react with people. Still reeling from what she had seen, Meredith stumbled out the elevator and past the doorman into the sidewalk. Outside she ran into Derek of all people. He looked like he had been jogging.

" Meredith, hey…you alright?"

"No…I mean yes…I don't know. I just saw Cristina and Burke at her apartment. Full-on kissing. Actually I really should say making out because that much kissing and general touching should totally qualify as making out."

"Seriously?" That was all he could say, seriously?

"Of course I'm being serious. Why would I lie about Burke and Cristina kissing when I saw it with my own eyes?"

"No, I believe you. I just can't believe you saw them kissing. Again, it's the third damn time Meredith."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You got to see the arm grab, the kiss on the cheek, and now the making out!" He was counting each of the events on his fingers.

"Do I look celebratory to you? I just saw my person making out with her ex-fiancé who I'm assuming is her boyfriend now. It's not exactly a Kodak whatever."

"But it's not fair! You get to see everything, everything." He was whining.

"I don't want to see everything. I like being told things. That's what Tuesday nights at Joe's are for. Cristina can come up to me and say Hey Meredith, guess what I did yesterday? I kissed Burke on the couch in my apartment. That's all I need. I'm good with that. I'm happy with that."

"You sound hysterical."

"You'd be hysterical too, if you saw them all tangled together on the couch and if you heard the moans and all the other crap. Don't judge me and hysterics."

"Moans, how long were you there?"

"A minute or two, I don't know. I was looking for my medical journal and dammit I didn't even get it. Burke distracted me with his words and the sweetness and the you know mushy couple crap."

"What did he say?" How could Derek be so calm?

"He said he never stopped loving her, why do you care?"

Derek sighed one of those the-entire-world-is-against-me sighs. "Has everyone forgotten that I started this entire thing, that I was the first to try to get them back together?"

And there was the ego. "Whatever. They're very clearly together."

He clapped. "Thanks for mentioning that, Meredith. Honestly, I really had no idea about what was going on."

"Well, you haven't seen anything. Maybe you'll get lucky and walk in on them when they're having sex or something. God I hope I don't walk in on that."

"Wait, what did she say?"

"Who?"

" Cristina." Oh right, her person who had been making out on the couch. _Right._

"She said I know."

"She didn't say it back?" He frowned.

"No, but she's Cristina."

"Of course." Derek paused. "That makes sense." He sounded doubtful.

"It's fine. She loves him. If she didn't I wouldn't have let you do what you did."

Derek finally smiled. "It's really working isn't it?"

"Yeah it is. Don't start gloating."


	37. Chapter 37

**Thirty-Seven **

When Derek stopped to think about it, he could never really pinpoint the moment that Preston and Cristina became a couple. Was it the first time Meredith found them in the apartment? The kiss on the cheek? The second time Meredith walked in on them? Or it could be somewhere in between. As far as he knew, there had been no pivotal conversation where Cristina turned to Preston and called them a couple or when Preston did the same. It seemed as if for months Derek went to bed still planning, and one morning he suddenly realized it was unnecessary.

They were together now.

The entire process had been torturously slow for him. Months and months passed with just the slightest of interactions. A cup of coffee and a smile was all he had to go on. Yet in the end, he was glad that he had continued, glad that he had strove for their happiness because they were honest-to-god happy now. Derek had been afraid that Preston would slip back into that stage of complacency instead of pushing ahead, but he had learned how to play the game. He had learned to wait for Cristina's unconscious signals.

Preston had waited for Cristina to return those three little words. He still remembered Preston's face when he told him, all smiles and an exuberant joy. It had taken her over a month to manage to say it. Personally, Derek knew he never would have been able to deal with that kind of wait. Leaving him breathless like that would slowly have destroyed his sanity. Preston was truly a patient man.

Now here he was helping Preston move back into Cristina's apartment. Had it really been that long ago when he was taking boxes out of the apartment? It felt like a lifetime ago to Derek. The move was going along quite well. Preston had no problem packing. He had never really unpacked that much in the first place. There had always been that hope, that bright and shining belief, that someday Cristina would invite him back into the apartment. Apparently, someone granted wishes after all.

The door to the apartment was already open when he exited the elevator. Meredith and Cristina were already unpacking the neatly labeled boxes. Derek dropped his box next to them before heading out again. Preston must have come up on the next elevator because he was standing there with his first load. He looked like he had come home, which when Derek thought about it was exactly what had happened.

Before Derek left the apartment, he looked back and could not stop the smile spreading across his face. Preston and Cristina were not an overly affectionate couple at least not in public, but here in Cristina's-no their apartment it was different. This was a side of them that most of the hospital would never see from Preston's hand curved around Cristina's waist as he placed another box to the almost imperceptible movement of her head leaning on his shoulder. These subtle little touches made their love so real, so palpable that Derek could practically see it.

God, he wished he still had that.


	38. Chapter 38

**Thirty-Eight **

Meredith watched as Burke kissed Cristina before saying, "I'm going to head home."

"Bye." Cristina's face positively glowed whenever she looked at Burke.

It was Joe's night, and Burke being the perfect boyfriend he was never begrudged her time with Cristina. When he left, she said, "God, you two are disgustingly sweet."

"Take that back. We are not cute. We are…um…we are…"

"In love," Meredith finished. "Which makes you disgustingly sweet and mushy people."

"You're just jealous that I still have my edge, could kick your ass at surgery with my eyes closed, and have a boyfriend." Cristina smirked. It was true, though, that Cristina had that elusive happy ending and Meredith, well, did not.

"Whatever. I don't need men. Men are overrated. You have the only good one anyway."

"Very true." Cristina smiled. She did that a lot more now and was snarkier to make up for it. "And you, giving up men? What happened the last time you did that hmmm? Let's recap. There was McVet and then McDreamy at the same time."

"Hey, do I remind you of Colin Marlow?"

"No, but I'm meaner than you."

"Bitch."

"Tequila slut."

"I have totally not slept with anyone because I was drunk from tequila."

"Oh right, you were drinking vodka that night" Of course, she remembered. She remembers everything.

"Back to your manless state, I know you're not going to be able to get a Burke, you're not as hot as I am, but there's plenty of guys out there."

"Right, and they're all imaginary. It's okay. I'm getting to used to the dying a spinster thing. I'll live through you."

"That's pathetic." And she was honest too.

"Well, I happen to not mind pathetic."

"You should be with someone again. Wasn't that what me and Burke being together was for? Proving that it would work?" See, she totally remembers everything.

"You and Burke is not about me. It's about you."

"Oh wait could you say that again? I'm not sure I heard you. Were you saying that it's about me?" Cristina had this fake look of surprise on her face. "I'm sorry. I was just so used to it being about you."

"It's not always about me." Cristina gave her the look. "Fine, I occasionally become self-centered and act like a narcissist."

"Exactly and now that you're not, it's kind of freaking me out."

"Well, that's a touching whatever Cristina."

"Look at this. I Cristina Yang being of questionably sound mind am willing to listen to you whine about your love life. Use it while it lasts."

"Nothing to whine about." Another gasp. "It's completely nonexistent."

"Then go fix that problem. That's one of our complexes. We have to fix everything."

"See I think that whole interfering with each other's love lives should be a one way thing."

"Hmmm…no deal." Damn.

"Not going to be able to stop you?"

"You could try."

"I think I'll pass." Meredith was not insane.

"Smart move."

"Okay, so if you're so wise now in your couplehood, then what ideas do you have?"

"There is that one guy who works at the hospital—"

"No."

"I didn't even say his name."

"I know it already."

"Are you sure?"

"Abso-freakin'-lutely."

"Who is it then?"

"I bet Derek asked Burke to tell you to give him a good word so no."

"How do you know I wasn't about to mention Steve from Psych? Or Alex?"

"Because you think they're mental patients. And Alex is Evil Spawn." Ha! Score for Meredith.

"You dated a vet. You don't have high standards." Meredith was so very tempted to stick out her tongue at Cristina, but that would give her more ammunition.

"Why McNotSoDreamy?"

"He loves you. God, Meredith I just want you to try out the bright and shiny thing. Dark and twisty Meredith is getting a bit boring."

"Meh."

Why couldn't they go back to focusing on Cristina's love life?


	39. Chapter 39

**Thirty-Nine **

Five A.M. jogs were crazy, completely and absolutely insane. Yet Derek did it anyway for some odd reason. Maybe it had become a habit. After waking up this early for so many months, he was used to jogging with Preston every other day, but still the hour was just ridiculous. It meant he had to get on the goddamn ferry just to get to Preston's apartment, which therefore meant he had to wake up around three. Cruel and unusual self-inflicted punishment…then again, he had no reason to stay at home.

The worst part was Preston was always so energetic in the mornings, always ready to push for another mile or sprint all the way home. He was like the goddamn Energizer Bunny except taller and without the drums. Derek never wanted to admit defeat that he was somehow less than Preston so he agreed to go for one more mile, to race to the apartment building. Of course, Derek had probably lost whatever sense he once had long ago.

"Let's do eight today. Down this street, through the park and loop back."

Derek did his best to suppress a groan and failed. "If you're not up to it, we can take it slower today."

"I'm fine. Let's go." 

Preston grinned and started down the sidewalk.

"You…seem…happ…i…er than usual. Good…night…with Cris… tina?"

He did not reply. Apparently, Preston was not so skilled at interpreting the syllables between his gasps or he was keeping what had happened to himself. Perhaps he had become another cog in the conspiracy that kept news away from Derek. That would be a shame were it true, but Derek suspected that his lack of coffee was stimulating his paranoia. This was the problem with five A.M. runs.

By the time they finished, Preston was still grinning. Over the course of their jog, the grin had continued to morph into that teenage grin that he wore whenever something wonderful had happened. Then he would scale his grin back, but it was too late; Derek had seen it. Something had happened and knowing Meredith's timing, she had probably walked in on that too. Yet despite his subtle probes, Preston remained silent on the issue, either pretending not to hear or instead remarking on some other subject that would require much discussion. Crafty.

So Derek waited. At the board, he got nothing except an invitation to dinner. During lunch, they discussed the new crop of interns, which were considerably less dramatic than their predecessors were. When they met on the catwalk, Preston again had that smile, but said nothing. The man had to be enjoying this. What was that, four times he had denied Derek information? As Derek strode down the stairs to leave the hospital, he spotted Preston again. This time Derek did not even bother. He would have an entire meal to dig for the information.

Cristina opened the door for him when he arrived. Meredith was already inside with a glass of wine in hand. Derek assumed Preston was inside the kitchen doing his Master Chef thing. Hmmm… Cristina seemed particularly happier than usual as well. Instead of that impassive face or even worse the snarky one, she was wearing a smile that actually seemed genuine. What, was she suddenly promoted to Chief Resident? That type of smile seemed completely wrong on her face.

Dinner progressed in a very normal manner without either Preston or Cristina addressing their gigantic smiles. Meredith seemed unperturbed or perhaps she had noticed the peculiar oddness that was Preston and Cristina tonight. They spent the dinner talking about the hospital and recent surgeries and all of that medical stuff yet the entire time Derek could not help feeling that it was all a blind, some ruse meant to disguise the real reason they were having dinner tonight. Despite their extreme self control, Derek still spotted the occasional inscrutable look that would pass between Preston and Cristina. Things were getting odder by the minute.

"Okay, I say you just tell us whatever you want to tell us and stop with the eyes because seriously…totally weird to watch." Thank you Meredith.

"What are you—" 

"No playing dumb, Cristina. I'm not that much of an idiot. I'm sober for one."

Burke grabbed Cristina's hand. "We have an announcement."

"Oh my god, you're not pregnant are you? Because it's only our second year and there's all this stuff going on and you guys just started dating again and now you've moved in and—" 

Derek placed a hand on Meredith's shoulder. "Maybe we should let them tell us."

"Oh right. Good plan," Meredith said.

"We're engaged," said Preston, his voice exuberant.

"Wait, what? You go all day without telling me, but the last time that's the first thing you say to me when I wake up from drowning and the hospital with the dog and the nevermind."

"We wanted to wait until dinner so we could tell both of you," Preston said as Cristina tried to stop herself from smirking.

"He wanted to. I was going to tell you."

"Well, congratulations!" Derek said.

"Yeah, congratulations!"

They nodded their thanks and smiled at each other in such a sweet way. Derek wanted to somehow signal Meredith to show her what love had done. Sure, he had sped up the process, but it was Preston and Cristina that actually went through with everything. They could have the same chance if Meredith could just believe that he would not screw up again. Preston and Cristina were that shining example of a love lost and regained. Why not follow that path? He wanted to say all of this to her, but instead he sat there smiling for his friends, but silent.

Later when he was helping Preston wash the dishes, Derek said, "So where's the ring?"

"There is no ring."

"You didn't get her a ring?"

" Cristina doesn't do rings. She's not a ring person." Of course, she's not a ring person, or a flowers person, or a jewelry person.

"So what did you get down on one knee and open an empty box?" The picture in his head made him chuckle.

"I asked her during breakfast one week and three days ago."

"And you're telling us now?" That was rude, holding something back for so long.

"She didn't give me an answer until last night." There was that patience again. Ten days of waiting for a response must have been maddening.

"How could you stand that? The waiting?"

"She needed time." Right, Preston had told him that once.

"And you gave it to her."

"Yes. I love her."

"And she loves you." Lucky man.

Preston grinned. "Yes, and she loves me."


	40. Chapter 40

**Forty **

Cristina was going to kill her. Burke would give her a disappointed look. God, why had that man not shut up about his damn cat? He had been perfectly fine, and she had discharged him, but still he stayed occupying a bed. Meredith knew Bailey would never let her leave until he was off the bed and a space had been freed. If she were Alex or Cristina, she would have told him that she did not give a damn about his cat, but she was not Alex or Cristina, she was Meredith. Meredith never freaked out on patients. She just freaked around other doctors.

Meredith rushed into the room. "Sorry! Sorry I'm late. I had a guy at the clinic and he just wouldn't leave and so…anyways I'm here. We can start."

"No we can't," Derek said before he kissed her cheek.

"Why not?" She was here and in a dress and all pretty.

"Well, for one the Justice of Peace isn't here and for the other, in case you didn't notice, we're missing two very important people?"

"Oh." She had not noticed, oops. "Where are they?"

"No idea. I paged them both, but I suppose we'll just have to wait."

A man in judge's robes rushed into the room. "Ah, I'm here. We can begin. Where are your witnesses?"

"Oh, we're not getting married." Meredith quickly said. Not yet anyway.

"Then why are you here?"

"We're the witnesses. The couple is not here yet." Derek started playing with the cuffs of his suit.

The Justice-judge-official or whatever he was seemed very confused. "So you two are not getting married?" Meredith shook her head. "You're sure the couple is coming?"

Derek smiled. "Trust me they're not going to miss this."

"I suppose we can wait for them." He pulled out a date book. "I have no other appointments until three." 

"Thank you. I'm sure they're on their way." Derek smiled earnestly.

Half an hour later, Meredith heard the sound of steps running to the door. Preston burst through the door. His sweater was wrinkled and he looked completely disheveled. Cristina followed at a slower pace. She still had her scrub top on and started pulling it off when she entered the room. At least her shirt was not as wrinkled as Burke's. The judge stared at them, mouth hanging. This was probably the first time anyone had stripped, even partially, in his office.

"Complications in the surgery. We didn't have time to change, but can we still do it today Your Honor, right," Burke asked, the tiniest hint of a plea in his voice.

He jolted from his trance. "Certainly. Of course. Let me just get your paperwork." Burke seemed grateful enough to give him all of his Eugene Foote CDs.

"Good surgery?" Meredith asked Cristina.

"Hell yeah. We practically brought him back from the dead."

"Nice. I had an idiot in the clinic who was—"

"Ahem." The justice rapped his knuckles quickly on his desk.

"Oh right, wedding to do. Sorry." Focus, Meredith. Get through with this and then you can rant.

The Justice despite his earlier confused and rattled state did the ceremony with all the dignity that befitted his office. His face was grave and serious, but Meredith was trying to stifle laughter. It was the oddest thing. Burke and Cristina, the groom and the bride, were wet from the rain and dressed like it was any other day while she and Derek were decked out in a suit and a dress respectively. The Justice must think they were all crazy, but none of that mattered.

There was no reason for that particular thought to pass through either Burke's or Cristina's mind because they were finally here. They were finally getting married, tying the whatever yet Meredith knew that this piece of paper was just a detail, just like the weekend reception they were sure to have when the mothers flew in would be a detail. She hated to be so goddamn romantic and corny, but she was so very sure that they had already given each other themselves, that they already were guaranteed to spend the rest of their lives together.

This time there were no heartfelt vows or flouncy dresses. This time there were no mothers, no people Cristina had never met, no missing eyebrows. This time the delay was mutual, but completely irrelevant. This time Cristina wanted the wedding as much as she wanted the marriage. This time they were in it together, both sure and steady. _This time_…it would stick.

At 2:15 on a rainy June afternoon, nearly two years after the day of their failed wedding, Preston Xavier Burke and Cristina Yang were married.

_A/N: The next few chapters will take place in farther and farther stretches of time. Three chapters to go before this story ends._


	41. Chapter 41

**Forty-One **

"That was an amazing surgery Dr. Shepherd." Interns were always the more grateful ones.

"Complications do make life more interesting."

"Thank you for letting me scrub in."

"No problem. You deserved it."

Derek united his scrub cap, shaking out his hair. That had been one long surgery. He cracked his back and started stretching in the middle of the hall. Ten years ago, he would have been ready to go back in for another surgery or maybe even two, but now all he wanted to do was go home. Too bad, it was only one in the afternoon. Then again, maybe it was not his age, maybe it was Preston's goddamn five A.M. runs. Five years of waking up ridiculously early, and Derek had learned nothing. He was starving, but he needed to find Karev. The man had said he wanted to check on Mrs. Keane after the surgery was over.

"Excuse me, do you know where Dr. Alex Karev is?" The nurses should know. They knew everything.

"Exam room 3." She did not even look up.

"Thank you."

He flashed his winning smile and received no response. What if he was losing his touch? Derek had to resist the urge to check himself in a mirror. When he spotted one of the new interns walk by, he gave her a charming smile. She blushed…oh thank god. It was just the nurse, just the nurse. He still had it. He was still McDreamy.

Exam Room 3's door was slightly ajar. The patient must have been moved. Hopefully, Karev was still inside. Derek pushed open the door. The curtain was pulled around the bed. Silence filled the room. That was odd.

"Hey, Karev, Mrs. Keane is out of surgery." Derek pulled open the curtain.

"Whoa…Hi Preston, Cristina." Derek gulped. "Er, I see you have your er…you're um busy and Karev has that machine and I'll be going now."

"You can stay," Preston said which made Cristina turn and give him a look.

"Um sure. If you want me to." He needed some processing time.

Oh my god. Cristina was on the bed stomach exposed. Karev was using the sonograph machine. Preston was sitting, holding her hand. Cristina glared at him. No one said anything once Karev began to spread the jelly over Cristina's stomach. Derek could not help it, but his eyes flew to the ultrasound. Karev had started to move the sensor, watching the screen carefully. Then Derek saw it.

There was a heartbeat.

"Guess you're going to be a mother Yang. I'll pray for the child."

Cristina whacked his shoulder, but before she could berate him, Preston pulled her into a hug. He was laughing and grinning, shouting yes, yes! His look was pure excitement. Preston Was going to be a father. He would have little Preston Jrs. and Cristina Jrs. running around the house.

"Congratulations!" Preston gave him a hug. "How far along is she?"

"Eight, maybe nine weeks," Karev said as he passed Cristina a wipe to clean herself off.

Cristina sighed and settled back against the pillow. " Meredith's going to kill me or she'll try anyway."

"Why?"

"You found out before her."

"I did?"

"No I'm lying to you Shepherd. God, what she sees in you…" Cristina shook her head in disgust. Eh, he was used to it by now.

He had found out first. Score for Derek. For the past five years, Meredith always knew about everything before him. It was completely and unbelievably unfair, but here was his just reward. Derek would get to tell Meredith that yes, he had actually been in the appointment when Cristina and Preston found out they were pregnant. Of course, he would leave out the little detail that he had interrupted said appointment, but still this was a victory.

"I'm estimating your due date will be March 17th." Karev sounded very informative and cold, but Derek could tell he was happy for Preston and Cristina.

It was amazing really…his friends were having a baby.


	42. Chapter 42

**Forty Two **

Cristina's face tightened again in pain. "Um, Cristina I think this is you going into labor," Meredith said as she watched her friend with concern.

"No this is me having Braxton Hicks. I am not in labor." It had to be the hormones. They made her crazy.

"You are so in denial. Your contractions are 20 minutes apart right now. Two hours ago they were forty. Not Braxton-Hicks."

"Shut it."

"No, as your person it is my duty to make sure you don't go off the deep end when you're pregnant. So get in the damn wheelchair."

"I don't need it. I am not due for two weeks. You are not going to start mommy-tracking me now."

"You're already lucky. You weren't even sent home like Bailey. I don't know what you did to convince the Chief, but now you need to get in the wheelchair before I put you in it."

"What are you going to tackle the pregnant woman?"

"Of course not. That's my little niece in there."

"Exactly. Therefore you are not getting me in the wheelchair."

"Oh yes I am. After last time—"

Meredith cut herself off when she saw the look on Cristina's face. Why was she such an idiot? Cristina did not need to be reminded of the miscarriage. She had been so sad when she lost that unnamed boy. Meredith remembered her violently crossing out her March 17th appointment. Burke had been crushed, endlessly folding and refolding that onesie he had bought for the son, the Preston Jr. that would never be. The entire episode had broken her heart, but they were pregnant again and it was working this time whether or not Cristina cooperated.

"You're not getting me in my chair. I scheduled it. It's happening on May 8th not April 24th."

"I'm not getting you in the chair. Bailey is." Cristina's look of abject fear made Meredith laugh.

Bailey came around the corner. "Yang why are you not in that chair?"

"I am not in labor."

"That would have been very convincing if you did not just have a contraction," Bailey said.

"My water hasn't even broken yet." Her arguments were becoming weak.

" Cristina, get in the damn chair." Cristina sat down. "Now you are going to let Dr. Grey take you to Dr. Karev and he is going to decide what to do with you. You will not complain. You will not try to escape. You _will_ lie down and wait for your baby to come out or get cut out. Do you understand me?"

Cristina's voice was quiet and apologetic. "Yes, Dr. Bailey."

As Bailey walked off, Meredith grinned. "I can't believe you called the Nazi on me."

"It got you in the chair didn't it?"

"I hate you."

"No you don't. That's the hormones talking."

"That's the you interrupted me before I could go to a transplant talking."

" George will do fine."

"He's a 007."

"That was almost seven years ago."

"My surgery."

"Yeah, well let's worry about the baby first."

Meredith wheeled her down the hall and headed toward the maternity ward. "I already paged Alex. He's meeting us. Burke's still in surgery, but he'll be out in half an our. Someone else is going to close for him."

"When did you do all this paging? You've been with me for like an hour."

"I have skills."

"Right, just not surgical."

"If you weren't pregnant…"

"What you'd come up with a crappy come-back?"

"See this is why we need the baby out of you, so we go back to slightly bitchy Cristina instead of this current you."

"Oh because sleep-deprived, throw-up covered Cristina will just be bundles of joy."

"She'll be funnier at least for me anyway."

"We'll see in six months when this is you."

"Whatever, Alex is here."

"How far apart are you?"

"17 minutes." Cristina answered grudgingly.

"I'll do an exam."

"Don't you find it kind of weird that Alex is your doctor?"

"Yeah," both of them immediately replied.

"The rest of them are idiots."

"Oh, Yang, you like me."

"Evil Spawn I could kick you in the face right now."

Alex laughed and said, "Three centimeters. We'll have a bit of time. Did you still want to do that C-section Miss I'm-Going-To-Schedule-The-Exact-Time-Of-My-Kid's-Birth."

"That's Doctor. I want to wait for Burke."

"Alright. Page me when he's back."

Burke did not come back at the half-hour mark. Instead, Izzie arrived. She was all smiles and hyper.

"So are you excited?"

"To have Evil Spawn see me partially naked and cut into my uterus to get my baby? Oh yeah, totally." Oh, the snark was on.

"But you're involved in the miracle of birth! That's amazing."

Another contraction ripped through Cristina. That was ten minutes. "Hey Izzie, could you do us a favor and go find Burke?"

"Sure happy to help." She practically skipped out the door.

"Thank you."

"No problem. That's what I'm here for," said Meredith.

Ten minutes later, Izzie texted her. "He's still in surgery. There's some complication."

"It's okay, I'm just at 7 minutes. No worries."

Her Blackberry vibrated again. " Derek's with him. He says they'll be up here in twenty. George is going to finish up before the transplant."

Cristina smiled, uttering a little sigh of relief. "Page Alex."

Alex arrived at the same time as Derek and Burke. Burke rushed in and grabbed Cristina's hand and kissed it. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a pregnant woman. I'm fine, honey, really." 

"How far apart are the contractions now?"

"Five maybe six minutes," said Cristina.

"There's an OR prepped. Do you want to go now?"

"Yeah."

Meredith watched as Cristina was taken away. She hoped, oh how she hoped, that everything would work out for her. The baby would be fine, perfectly fine. She grabbed Alex's arm before he left the room.

"Take care of her or whatever, okay?"

"Don't worry. Besides Burke would throw a scalpel at me if anything happened."

An hour later, Cristina a cradle was taken back into the room. It was empty. Cristina was wheeled in afterwards. Burke was holding the baby in his arms, kissing its forehead. The girl had thick black hair. Everyone was smiling and clamoring to hold the baby, but Burke after kissing her one more time let Meredith hold her. She was the most adorable thing Meredith had ever seen. A dimple like Burke, Cristina's eyes, probably the brains of both…this girl was going to be a heartbreaker someday.

"What are you naming her?"

" Burke wanted Helen Jane or Jane Helen, but for obvious reasons I said no."

Burke smiled at Cristina. "We're naming her Adrianne Burke. We haven't picked a middle name yet."

"Well, Adrianne welcome to the world." Meredith held her up in the air, watching her giggle and kick.


	43. Chapter 43

**Forty-Three **

Derek pulled into the driveway. The lawn was immaculate, green and lush, empty of weeds. That was Preston's OCD at work. It certainly was not Cristina who had carefully cut the grass until not one uneven blade existed, and it was definitely not Cristina who had planted the flowers in alternating color. Where did he get all this time? Of course, Adrianne was not a particularly hyperactive child who reveled in their misery unlike his boys.

He opened the door. " Uncle Derek!" She launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Hey little girl!" They were making her watch the Discover Channel. No wonder she was so quiet; her eyes must glaze over every time she sees that.

"Where's Auntie Meredith?" She had let go of him now and pulling him toward the couch.

"She had to stay at the hospital for a while longer, but when she comes she's bringing Jamie and Luke." Bringing his boys over…hmmm, he would have to help Preston clean up, give him OR priority, and probably throw his soul in to make up for this.

"Oh, okay. Want to watch TV with me?" She asked politely, the perfect picture of a demure little girl. Why did he not get a kid like that?

"Sure." He plopped himself down on the couch. "Now what do you want to watch?"

"This." It was an animal special.

"Your mom and dad aren't in the room right now. We can watch whatever you want, cartoons, the Disney channel..."

"But I want to watch this Uncle Derek. So can we please?" Odd, odd girl they raised.

"Anything you want."

By the time Preston emerged from the shower, the show was over. "Hey Derek."

"Hey Preston. You know you raised a great kid here right?"

"Yeah I do. I'm going to start making dinner now."

"I'll help."

"You're a guest."

" Meredith is bringing the boys."

Preston paused. "You can help with something else."

"Say the word."

Derek settled back into the couch. "So what do you want to do now, Adrie?"

"How about a story?"

"Do you want one with dragons, princesses, and princes?"

Adrianne never called her parents Mommy and Daddy. Of course picturing Cristina as a Mommy was still a problem for Derek. "Mom already told me a story where the princess saved the prince from the evil dragon before I went to bed last night." The princess saved the day, huh?

"Okay what kind of story do you want? I could tell you about Rapunzel, or Hans and Gretel, or Goldilocks."

"Could you tell me about Mom and Dad? Or you and Auntie Meredith?" She seemed so eager and curious.

"What do you want to know about your parents?"

"I don't know. Just stuff."

So he told her. From what Meredith and Preston had told him, Derek had cobbled together most of what had happened between them. Plus he had been deeply involved in certain events that reunited Preston and Cristina. Derek started with the coffee, omitting the obviously inappropriate details. He told her of their first breakup and how Preston regretted the action immensely. When he began to describe their first reunion, Adrianne was completely entranced by the story.

Derek continued with what he termed the second phase of their relationship. It was lucky that they had an interesting life because if this had been anyone else's story the poor child would have been bored to tears by now. Once he started discussing the bomb in the chest cavity episode, Adrianne had been sitting completely still, rapt with attention. Even now, Meredith still remembered exactly what Cristina had said. It had been the sweetest thing to her and to be honest Derek agreed wholeheartedly.

"Then your mom said, you know in the movies how there's always the hero and then there's the other guy? The guy who sees danger and then runs in the opposite direction?"

"What did Dad say?"

"He said yeah. Then your mom said, be the other guy before she left. It made your Auntie Meredith cry."

"Did she cry because she had her hand right next to the bomb?"

"No because she knew that your mom and dad loved each other."

"Really?"

"Really."

Derek continued on with no interruptions until he told her that Preston had been shot.

"Dad was shot? He never told me that."

"Yeah, I had to take him into surgery and operate on him right away."

"Was he scared?"

"He wasn't really awake during it, but your mom…she was scared."

"Mom's never scared." She said in that glorious I'm-young-and-I-know-everything voice.

"She was then, but your dad's a strong man and he made it just fine, but then he got these tremors…"

As he continued the story, he heard the garage door open. Cristina was home, but Meredith had still not arrived. Hopefully, he would be able to finish the story before the boys arrived. There was no way in this dimension or the next that the boys could hold still for this long a story. It would just be simply impossible for them. Five minutes in Jamie would have started playing with his cars or his action figures, and then Luke would have demanded to get his fair share. Then they would fight, and Derek would get a headache and wonder how Cristina and Preston did it. Maybe by the time Meredith showed up the boys would be sleepy and docile, content to play quietly. One should always have delusions.

Adrianne's eyes grew wide when Derek told her how her mother ran down the hall in bloody scrubs. He did not describe it in too much detail, afraid that she would have nightmares. The proposal got little response from her. She seemed completely unsurprised that her mother refused to wear a ring. Her soul mate was going to have a fun time winning over her, Derek thought. Derek glossed over the wedding planning, as he did not really know that much about it. When he arrived on the wedding and all its drama, Adrianne perked up.

"What are the vows for?"

"It's something you say so everyone knows how much you love someone."

"So Mom lost hers?"

"What did she do?"

"Well, your Auntie Meredith convinced her to just try it anyway and make up something, but your dad came in and he..uh…he…"

"He what?"

"He said that if he really loved your mom he would let her go, so he left."

"Dad left?"

"Yes he did. He was so sad about it."

"But he left her again? That's not fair. Mom wasn't ready."

"Sometimes, Adrie, life isn't fair. So this is where I got involved."

He told her how he had started to interfere, to bolster Preston's confidence, to try to erase the hurt that was separating them. Adrianne listened in complete silence as he told her how her parents, the two heroes of her life, found each other again. Of course, he omitted the stories of Meredith walking in on Preston and Cristina, which he still slightly resented by the way. The second wedding made her laugh because her parents were late.

Derek wondered if he should tell her about the pregnancy that had never happened. He had not mentioned Cristina's ectopic pregnancy because he was not sure if she had heard about the birds and the bees yet, and he did not want to have the dubious honor of enlightening her. Should he tell her about that boy that should have been her big brother? That unnamed kid probably would have been as tall as Preston and play ball like him. In the end, Derek decided to let that slide. Her parents could tell her if they wanted too. It was not his right to say anything.

"Then on April 24th this beautiful little girl was born."

"While Mom was working." She knew this part of the story.

"And your Dad too."

"And Uncle Alex cut me out of Mom's stomach."

"Yeah and then they took your Mom back to her room and they named you."

"What happened next?"

"Well you kept your Mom and Dad up all night."

"Because I cried like Luke does?"

Derek laughed. "No you slept all day, but you were always awake at night. Your dad or your mom would have to sit in a rocking chair and rock you all night to try to get you to sleep."

"Sometimes just to give them a break, I would come over or Auntie Meredith would and then later Jamie was born. The two of you would play together."

"I remember that."

"Of course you do." She had only been seven months old when Jamie was born.

"Then what happened?"

"Well, when you were two, your parents moved here. Then they watched you grow up and raised you. Your mom got a fellowship at the hospital and then became an attending."

"Yeah, but what's going on now?"

"The story's not over yet."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Will you tell me when more happens?"

"Of course."

In the kitchen, Derek could see Preston at the refrigerator and Cristina in front of the stove. She was tentatively stirring something as if afraid that whatever it was would catch on fire and burn off her two million dollar hands. Preston sprinkled something into the pot that she was stirring and enclosed her in his arms. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his hand around her, showing her how to stir. Cristina leaned back and started laughing. Preston kissed her cheek and her hair. The two of them started slightly swaying.

They were happy.

In that moment, Derek knew that as long as they had a love like that, a love that was pure and beautiful and true, that was sure and steady, their story would never be over.

_Fin._

**A/N: Thank you for your review and for continuing to read this story. They really meant a lot. Anyways I am writing this story again from the Bang perspective so if you want me to post it please mention that in your review. **


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